Antithesis
by Shatterthought
Summary: Verel, High Overlord of darkness, has slated Nippon for destruction. Can a teenage boy in the form of the dark wolf Shinryu stop a force so destructive even the power of the sun goddess pales against it?
1. Shinryu

**A/N: **I've always wanted to write one of these types of stories. They always seemed fun to write, and now that I've started one I can truthfully say they really are fun. Anyway, back to the story: this will follow the storyline of Okami, but it'll probably diverge from the game's storyline at some point. What point would that be? read to find out ;)

Reviews are very much appreciated!

** Disclaimer:** I don't own Okami or any of its characters. (Sadly.)

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**Antithesis**

**Chapter 1: Shinryu**

I blinked and rubbed my eyes, leaning back into my chair as its joints creaked and moaned its old age._ Another chapter of _In Absentia Luci _finished_, I thought, and breathed a sigh of relief as I clicked the 'save' button on Wordpad. With the latest chapter done I closed my eyes, trying to stop the familiar burning sensation that came from staring at the monitor too long. I still had more work to do: a twenty-five page biography for AP English - _which I should have done first_, I thought, letting out a mental groan; five worksheets full of calculus computations, and several questions on the anatomical structure of the skin.

I grimaced as the computer finished blaring What I've Done by Linkin Park and cued up Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne. "I swear, this song is going to kill someone one day," I muttered, shuddering, and switched the song to Hikari by Utada Hikaru. As the upbeat music began to play, I stood up, stretching my legs and arms. My muscles fought to work, which wasn't surprising; I'd been sitting in the same position for over an hour.

What I really needed now was a snack -- and with a low rumble my stomach agreed. Bouncing down the stairs, I made my way past the dining room the kitchen, shooting a cursory glance at the notes stuck on the door. I could already tell what they would say: _Out working, be back late_. That's how things always were; if ever I saw my parents, it'd be at night. Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I turned on the television and opened the freezer, pulling out a tray of Bagel Bites.

"... In other news, several wolves have been found dead, their corpses mangled, just outside the woods. Specialists are attributing the cause of death to an unknown disease, but police are warning people to stay away from any and all of our lupine friends in the event that this disease is a threat to humans," came the voice of Shawn Fenn, the main anchor of the six-o-clock news. I looked over at the TV, only mildly interested. Yep, the white table and smiling man greeted me while I read the statement the police had issued and the words scrolled across the bottom of the screen.

_Disease, huh? I wouldn't want to get that. Then again, maybe I could get out of that biography project..._ I sighed and popped the tray into the oven, setting the timer for five minutes before heading back up to my room. I looked over at my computer, still playing Hikari, then at my Playstation 2 and the game box sitting atop it. I'd only recently bought a copy of Okami on the advice of a few friends -- and I was loving every minute of the game so far. I picked up the controller and turned the console on. The biography could wait an hour or three. The title screen popped up and I grinned; I couldn't name all the characters revolving around the logo yet, but I was willing to bet that in the next two hours I'd know their names by heart.

It was when I'd moved the cursor to 'Continue' when I heard the odd knocking on the door. I blinked and set down the controller down reluctantly. No one knocked on our door -- at least, not at night, for we did have the occasional wandering salesman. Wondering who it could be, I stepped gingerly down the stairs and looked through the peephole set into the door. No one. I turned to walk back upstairs when the odd knock came again, this time louder. Frowning, I looked out a nearby window. There was no one in the street, no movement in the bushes, no suspicious cars parked -- whoever was knocking was doing a good job of keeping hidden. "Then why are they knocking on my door?" I asked no one in particular, irritated. This was a waste of time; there was no point in staying down here if someone was playing a prank on me.

I had made it halfway up the stairs when a deep, almost serpentine voice hissed, "Hello there, Shinryu..."

I leapt down the stairs and looked down the hallway to find a stranger, his head and body hidden within a cloak, staring in my direction. The light from the moon had vanished, hidden behind storm clouds as lightning danced gaily from cloud to cloud.

Sheet lightning, a part of my brain said, but I wasn't listening to it, too shocked to find an intruder in the house. He hadn't even tripped the alarms. Finding my voice, I yelled, "Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house?!" I took a step backward and groped blindly for some sort of weapon. The stranger took a few steps toward me; with each step, thunder sounded and lightning flashed, illuminating his large, odd silhouette and making this mysterious intruder even more frightening.

"Really, Shinryu, did you believe you could escape our master?" hissed the voice again. My hands snagged on the butt of an umbrella. I brought it up and held the dull, metallic pointed end at the stranger, my arms shaking as I did so.

"Let's get a few things straight here, bub," I said slowly, trying to stay calm, "One: my name's not Shinryu. Two: this is my house. Three: and I would like you to kindly leave before I call the police. Got it?" I finished, my threat made into a desperate plea by the tremors in my voice. The stranger didn't move; instead, two golden slits resembling eyes glinted in the darkness of its hood. Then another pair appeared. And another, and another; soon sixteen shining golden eyes were glaring at me. I gulped, the umbrella clattering to the floor from my limp hand. _He's not human...?!_

"Foolish Shinryu!" roared the stranger, and in that instant the hood fell away to reveal eight giant serpentine heads floating in what appeared to be thin air. "You'll pay for your insolence!"

I stood, rooted to the spot, as one of the eight heads lunged at me, mouth gaping. _Run, you idiot!_screamed my mind, but my body refused to listen. It was only when the head was mere feet away from me that I realized it was probably going to kill me.

"AHHHHH!" I screamed, and dove toward the stairs, clinging to the steps as the great scaly neck rocketed past where I had been standing seconds before. "Oh God, oh God," I moaned, scrambling up the rest of the stairs with several nervous looks at the golden scales of the intruder's -_monster's _- neck. _There was a monster in my house. _The fact hit me like a sack of bricks to the face, and in an instant I was up and running toward my room. "Someone, anyone, pick up," I prayed, fumbling with my cell phone and picking a random number out of my speed dial.

"Hello, this is Papa John's -"

With a loud curse I hung up and looked over the numbers in my phone book. _Dad!_ I hit the 'Send' button -- only to receive a busy tone. _Of all the times to be calling someone else...!_

"Shinryu!" roared the monster, and I jumped, dropping my cell phone on the carpet. "Come here, Shinryu," grated the terrible voice, and I looked out the window.

_Oh, hell!_ I backed away as one large golden eye peered back at me. I was trapped in my own house by a monster, I was probably going to be eaten alive, and the last thing I'd heard was an employee from Papa John's. Great. _Weren't these situations supposed to end with some sort of heroic, valiant death or something? _I wondered.

"Bring him here," growled another voice, this one far more sinister and demanding. "I wish to have the privilege of torturing him before killing him myself."

"Master," acknowledged what seemed to be the monster's voice, and that terrible eye lowered itself from my window. Cautiously I approached the window and looked out. The monster was nowhere in sight, and nothing seemed to be amiss.

Until the fabric that held the world together ripped, exposing a very, very lage portal. I stared at it in amazement. This thing was defying all the laws of space and time; it might even be defying the laws of physics. I barely had any time to realize that I was being sucked in until I was flying out the window and into the portal's gaping maw. The last thing I saw was the monster's laughing mouth before everything went black.

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"...ryu. Great Shinryu!"

_Hmmm?_ I yawned, opening my eyes. _Huh. Guess I fell asleep or something_, I thought. _That was some crazy dream_.

"Great Shinryu, I entreat thee: listen to me, the spirit of rebirth, Naissen!"

_Oh, for the love of God, my name's not Shinryu_, I said -- or rather, attempted to say. My sentence simply came out as a feral growl.I blinked. _What's wrong with my voice?_ I looked around and stared in shock. There was no way this was normal -- where was my room? Or the trees outside my room? Or the objects that I really, really liked inside _my room_?! And why, oh why was the sky a mix of purples, blacks, and greens?! I got up, a little irked that I was suddenly so close to the ground, even at my full height. _What, did I grow shorter or something?_ It was only when I looked down at the puddle in front of me that I saw the truth.

I was a wolf. A black wolf with azure markings not unlike Amaterasu's, but a wolf nevertheless. _That does it, _I thought, looking at one jet black paw._ I'm definitely still dreaming. Yup. Can't wait to wake from this one._

"Shinryu," called the voice again, and this time I looked up. A wizened old man stood in front of me, leaning on a cane. His gray hair was mussed, and his beard came down to his chest. The creaking of his joints echoed loudly in my ear as he hobbled forward.

"Ah, it is truly good to see you again," said the old man.

_Again?_ I cocked my head to one side. There was no way I'd met this old geezer before -- he was five, no, six times my seventeen years!

"The High Overlord of darkness, has ruled that Nippon must be destroyed -"

_Wait a sec. Nippon? As in, the game Okami's Nippon?! _I looked past Naissen to see Sakuya's tree -- and Sakuya herself as she sent the reflector to wake Amaterasu up. I really needed to stop playing video games for a while. Or maybe it was the Bagel Bites causing my strange dreams. I gave a mental shrug and tuned my ears back to the old man's explanation.

" - As the origin of all that is good and mother to us all, Amaterasu, has just been reincarnated by my dear friend Sakuya, so have you been reborn."

_Uh, what? I haven't even died yet, and I'd rather keep it that way, thank you very much_, I thought.

"Please, Shinryu, help Amaterasu in her task to defeat the dreaded Orochi of eight heads -"

_Eight heads?_ Oh, jeez, not that monster again. I never wanted to see him again in my lifetime. Or was it dreamtime in dreams?

"-and surely she shall help you in your endeavors to defeat Verel. Go, Shinryu!" cried Naissen, even as a bright white light enveloped him. I closed my eyes, trying to block the harsh rays out, when all at once it vanished. I opened my eyes to find Naissen gone and a slight weight upon my back. I twisted and turned my furry head, moving my body in tandem in order to try and get a glimpse of what was on my back. I stopped moving as the object finally came into view. It was a scythe, its gleaming silver blade silently begging to be used.

_Huh. I guess this is supposed to be my weapon or something? Come to think of it, how does Ammy use her weapons anyway?_ I sat on my haunches, trying to figure this out, when a blob of white caught my eye. I turned to see Amaterasu, her brilliant white coat shining even in the midst of the chaos that was the world, and a glowing green speck that I assumed was Issun. Issun had apparently finished talking, for he promptly vanished from view -- into Ammy's fur, no doubt -- while Amaterasu herself approached the gate that I knew would take her to the River of the Heavens.

And I still hadn't woken from this dream. _Oh well_. When Ammy had vanished through the Spirit Gate I walked over to it, looking at the portal that glowed brightly compared to the darkened horizon. _Might as well follow her. _I took a few steps forward -- only to be thrown back by a blast of stinging energy, landing on my back a few feet away. _What the hell?! _I complained silently, getting to my feet. _Ammy got through. Why can't I?_ Giving a mental shrug, I sat on the ground. At least out here I wouldn't have to fight.

As soon as I'd finished that thought two Green Imps dropped from the boughs of Sakuya's tree, cackling evilly.

_Oh, hell. _Getting up, I maneuvered into what I thought had been Ammy's fighting stance and prepared for battle.

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**A/N:** Haha, left you hanging there. What'd you think? Good? Bad? Review and tell me! 


	2. Of Instruments and Brushes

**A/N:** Wow, thanks for the reviews, guys! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

**A/N part 2:** Really, guys, 87 views and 4 reviews :( I can only tell if I need to fix something if you guys are telling me to.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters of Okami. I do own all of my original characters.

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**Antithesis  
**

**Chapter 2: Of Instruments and Brushes**

I let out a low growl, trying to disguise my surprise and fear as the Green Imps leapt from side to side, wildly playing their flutes and pausing in their music -- if you could call it music -- to point one end at me. They had sickly green skin, which was covered in boils and mottles. When they dragged their knuckles across the ground, the grass turned brown and began to wilt, decaying on the spot.

_I think I liked them better behind a television screen._ I growled again and pawed the ground, taking a quick look at my surroundings. Something was not quite right here. With a start, I realized the barrier that came with fighting demons wasn't present. _What the heck?! There's _always _a barrier!_ Not as if this battleground needed one -- with Kamiki still sealed in the fruit hanging on Sakuya's tree, there was no place for me to run.

The imps abruptly stopped playing their flutes and gave them a twirl before advancing toward me. I gulped. I had never been good at sports, and I had a very good feeling that that fact carried over into fighting. And even if I could fight, I hadn't the slightest clue how to wield the scythe that rested on my back. I motioned at the imps with one furry paw, hoping to somehow convince the weapon to attack. When it didn't move, I tried to direct it with my thoughts._ Attack! Um... attack the one on the right?_ Nothing happened. _Please?_ I added desperately.

The first imp swung at me with the pointed end of the flute, nicking one my legs. I ran out of its range, the second one scampering eagerly behind me in anticipation of the kill. _Leave me alone!_

The other imp had recovered and was following me along with its partner, playing a morbid tune. I turned abruptly, wincing as one of their flutes cut into the back of one of my legs. The chase continued for a few minutes, the imps taking potshots at me as I tried to stay out of their range, until I skidded to a stop and spun to face them, letting out a growl louder than any of my previous ones. _All right, that is _it! _I've had it with this dream! In the past twenty-four hours I've been chased by an eight-headed snake, dropped into Okami, gotten stuck in the form of a wolf, and asked to save the world. Now two ridiculous-looking imps are trying to kill me?! _Both imps looked at each other in confusion as I let out a bark of laughter. _Nope. Sorry. Try again next dream, got it? _And with that I dashed at my foes, hoping I could kill them before they killed me. I opened my mouth to bite down on one of them -- and in that instant I felt, rather than saw, blue flames surround the blade and handle of my scythe. A deep voice spoke in my mind.

_I am the Dark Instrument, Ticking Death. You have proven your resolve to fight, O Shinryu -- now wield me as you wish._ The scythe swung at the imps, the finely honed blade easily cutting them in two. They fell to the ground, both halves writhing in pain, before dissolving into ash.

I made a face. _Definitely not like in the game, _I thought, shuddering as I watched the last of the ashes blow away in the wind. I was alive. The fact surprised me -- I hadn't exactly expected to survive. I sat down on my haunches, thinking over the battle. There had been a feeling there when Ticking Death had finally awoken and struck the imps -- a feeling that was both familiar and alien at the same time. Grasping that feeling firmly in hand, I moved to attack the air and nearly let out a bark of joy as the scythe swung in motion with me. Elated with my success, I swung the instrument several more times, watching as the scythe swished in the air, blue flames trailing with it. At least now I could defend myself from anything that wanted to kill me.

But something was bothering me. The scythe had said it was a Dark Instrument, not a Divine Instrument like Amaterasu's. That obviously meant something; the question was, what? And why had Naissen given me a dark weapon without telling me what it was? I pushed that thought to the back of my mind, not wanting to think about it anymore, as I looked at the Spirit Gate. It wasn't likely that Ammy would be coming through it -- at least, not for the next several minutes. I yawned again; the battle had tired me out more than I thought it had. Surely I had some time for a quick nap? Resting my head on my paws, my eyelids began to droop...

When a _very _loud bell rang. I jerked awake, instantly looking for any sign of danger. I was in a room that seemed familiar -- there were maps on the far left wall, while a chalkboard and a fairly modern desk sat at the front. Slowly I relaxed as I recognized where I was. "School?" I whispered in disbelief. "What's going on?" I looked down at my body. _Well, at least I'm back to normal_. I blinked and stretched, trying to get up from my seat, but for some reason my body was having a hard time remembering how to stand without the aid of extra limbs. _It was just a dream_, I reminded myself. _You're just stiff from sleeping in... Geography class? _I blinked, giving up my struggle to stand and returning to my seat. Geography was fourth period; that meant I'd been in school for over three hours now. I frowned, perplexed. _But if it was just a dream, why don't I remember going to school?_

"Come on, sleepyhead; Geography's over. You'll be late for Patrell's class! You know how he gets when people are tardy!" A girl with raven black hair that fell to her shoulders poked her head through the door.

"Anna?" I asked. She looked at me strangely.

"Yeah, Will. It's me." She rolled her eyes. "Really, we just talked five minutes ago! Now move it, or we'll both be late!" With that, her head vanished from view.

_'Five minutes ago?' _I stared at the doorway in confusion. _But I didn't talk to you--_

The room before me began to blur, everything swirling and fading to black as something wet and slobbery licked my cheek.

"I'm telling ya, furball, I think he's dead," came a very familiar voice. I opened my eyes to find Amaterasu staring worriedly at me, her amber eyes gazing into my own. Issun sat atop her muzzle, bouncing up and down. I bolted upright. _What the hell? One minute I'm in Geography class and the next I'm back in Nippon?! What's going on?! _Belatedly I realized that both sun goddess and Poncle were staring at me, confusion plastered over their faces. Well, Amaterasu's at least -- I couldn't speak for Issun. _Um, hi? _I let out a soft bark, hoping to convey the fact that I was all right.

"He seems okay to me, Ammy," said Issun slowly. The artist stopped hopping up and down, his aura glowing a bright green. "You must be wondering who we are, right?"

_Not really, _I thought_. I already know. _As the Poncle introduced himself as 'the great wandering artist Issun' and Amaterasu as 'Ammy', I used the time to check the surroundings. It looked as if I'd missed the revitalization of Kamiki -- the trees and houses all seemed to be in place, and the pathway down from Sakuya's tree was back. But something was still missing; the trees looked pale and the grass looked like it had seen better days. It took me only a second to realize what was wrong -- the sun was missing from the sky._ Looks like I get to see some of Ammy's brushwork, then, _I thought, remembering how she'd use the Sunrise technique to paint the sun back into the sky.

"Too bad you can't speak," mused Issun, "or you could have told us your name."

Amaterasu barked in agreement.

"Come on, furball; the village could still be in danger. Let's go see how they're all doing down there."

The goddess nodded as Issun vanished back into her fur. She took a few steps toward the path before turning to look at me. I looked blankly back at her, wondering what she wanted. Lifting one paw, she pointed at the path and barked.

_Does she want me to follow her or something?_ I took a step forward and Ammy nodded her head. _Guess so_. As soon as I reached her side we started down the stairs together, taking in the sights of Kamiki Village. After a few moments I grew bored. It was exactly as it was in the game, and there was nothing new to see. But Amaterasu seemed different, and so I turned my head to look interestedly at her.

She was smaller than she appeared in the game -- or maybe it was the fact that my wolf form was a bit larger than hers. Her divine crimson markings were as much a part of her as her brilliant white coat -- when the hairs of her fur swayed, so did her markings. It was as if the two were inseparable. The orange flames around her reflector swirled about as if they were alive, flickering and dancing in a strange rhythm as Amaterasu walked down the path. What truly stood out about her was the eyes. Those amber eyes were filled with emotions and an intelligence that no ordinary wolf could possess. They looked at the statues we passed with such sorrow that I wanted to speak out, to tell her that everything would return to normal, but I couldn't. All I could do was watch and follow her down the path.

"Huh..." mumbled Issun, peeking out of Amaterasu's fur as we passed another statue. "I don't remember there being a statue there... and look, Ammy! There's statue there too!" The Poncle fell silent as he surveyed the village. "It's like all the villagers turned to stone or something..." he murmured, and jumped as a loud roar echoed through the village.

"SHINRYU!"

I growled and moved into my fighting stance. There was no doubt about it; it was that eight-headed serpent. Orochi, Naissen had called him.

"I WILL FIND YOU NO MATTER WHERE YOU RUN! IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME!"

Somehow, I really doubted that. I hadn't played much of Okami, but I did know that Orochi never left the Moon Cave. He wouldn't come and find me unless I went directly to him.

"What the heck was that?! That's not one of those smaller monsters that're lurking about; a roar like that's gotta belong to something much bigger!" yelped Issun, hopping about. The artist stopped bouncing and looked over at me. "Let me guess -- that one was for you, right? So that means your name's Shinryu?"

I nodded my head and barked.

"Shinryu... that's a long name. How about Shin?" asked Issun.

_'Shin'? _I cocked my head to one side. _You can't come up with a better nickname? _

Taking my silence as an answer, the artist said, "All right, it's settled! Shin it is! Now let's find some higher ground and see if this dark sky goes past the village too."

As Amaterasu and I turned to head to the highest point in the village, a glowing symbol to the left of a turnip patch caught my eye. _Weird. I know that wasn't there in the game... _I walked over to it and stared at the round mark for a moment. I looked up; Ammy was nowhere in sight. After seeing the look in her eyes when she'd spotted the statues, the fact didn't surprise me: getting the villagers back to normal was probably her top priority right now. Everything else -- including black wolves who were actually humans from another world -- was second. Looking back at the symbol, I inspected it closely. It wasn't anything I recognized; it didn't even look like it was part of a language known to humans. Gingerly I lifted a paw and placed it on the rune.

The entire area darkened as a black tiger, its stripes glowing a pale sapphire color, dropped from above, landing in front of me with a loud roar. I growled in response, ready to fight. To my surprise the tiger sat on the ground, looking at me carefully. At last it spoke.

"Ah, Shinryu! It is I, Mikaboshi. It has been many years since we last met, has it not?"

_I've never met you before..._ I thought, blinking as its tail swished back and forth. Naissen had said he'd met me before, as well -- but somehow they were both mistaken.

"I see your power has waned. Once, your skill wielding the Abyssal Brush was second to none." The tiger paused. "While you were away, we five spirits of the brush took refuge in this mortal world, awaiting the day you would come and reunite us all. And now that day has come. I, Mikaboshi, god of Destruction, grant you my power!"

Mikaboshi faded as the rune lifted itself off the ground. It circled me once before plunging into my chest, filling me with a strange, cold feeling that traveled down my body to the tip of my tail and left me shivering. I looked over my form; everything seemed to be exactly the same except for my tail. Before, it had been the tail of a normal wolf. Now it was shaped much like Amaterasu's, the strands of fur at the end carefully placed together to form a fine tip resembling a brush. _Hmmm... my tail's the Abyssal Brush, then... but it couldn't be like Ammy's Celestial Brush... could it?_ Experimentally I lifted my tail -- and nearly dropped my jaw in shock as everything seemed to turn a pale brown. It was as if everything I was looking at had become a part of a canvas, the color bleeding out of the scene until it was dull and lifeless. The color wasn't the only thing that had changed; the waterfall had frozen in mid-flow, while plants and trees had come to a halt despite the winds that buffeted their stems and trunks. It was like time itself had stopped.

Maybe being stuck as a wolf isn't so bad after all. Grinning, I fixed my vision on the part of the canvas that showed the pole that Mrs. Orange used to dry clothes and swished my tail. A blotch of ink dropped near the mill's waterwheel, while I drew a line across the pole. As I lowered my tail the pole broke into pieces and part of the waterwheel vanished. _Oops. Something tells me I be more careful when I draw._ I looked back at the mill's waterwheel. _It'll be fine, _I thought._ Ammy has to repair it anyway. Speaking of..._ I lifted my tail again, bringing the canvas back, and looked at the sky just in time to see Amaterasu complete a perfect circle, restoring the sun to its rightful place in the heavens. I blinked and looked around as the statues slowly regained color. The people of Kamiki shook themselves and went about their business as if nothing had happened. Which, to them, was probably true -- I doubted that they'd remember being stuck as a statue.

Just then a loud, defiant growl came from the top of the village platform while a strange wind began to blow._ Ammy?!_ I turned and raced up the pathway, trying to remember what had happened. The goddess had restored the sun, and then... I gave myself a mental slap. _Of course! Those imps attacked! And that means she's fighting now!_ I sped up, only to skid to a stop as two imps jumped down from above and pointed their flutes at me._ Gah. What is it with these things?_ I bared my teeth and growled at them, furtively glancing at the area around me. A large boulder sat atop a slightly tilted plateau, held in place by a few smaller rocks. _Hmmm... what if... _I lifted my tail and drew a line to erase the rocks holding the boulder in place, watching with satisfaction as the rock rolled down the plateau to squash the imps directly beneath it. _I'm starting to like this brush, _I thought as I sprinted up the path. I turned the corner in time to see the sun goddess leap into the air and bring her reflector down onto the last of her opponents. With a groan, the imp fell to the ground and burst into flowers. Only seconds later countless flora burst from the center of the dried-up pond, bringing the grass back to its normal, healthy color. The trees surrounding the pond regained their greenery, while the pond quickly filled up with water. I stared in awe at the now-beautiful spring.

"Wow! You really get aggressive when you're mad, don't ya?" said Issun, hopping atop Amaterasu's head now that the demons were gone.

_I'll say, _I thought, the image of a reflector being ruthlessly brought down onto an imp's head still playing in my mind. _She can really be scary if she puts her mind to it._

"Oy! Shin!"

I shook the image out of my head and looked up; apparently Issun had seen me. I walked over to the pair, looking over the remains of the battlefield as I went. Only a few stray flowers marked the spots where the demons had died.

"So, what's with the blue markings and the scythe?" The artist hopped off Ammy's muzzle and began to bounce around me. "Hmmm... those markings look an awful lot like Ammy's..." The Poncle took his usual place atop Ammy's head. "All right, Shin, you're traveling with us until we can sort this whole thing out."

I barked in reply. It's not like his decision mattered; I would have followed them regardless of what he'd decided. Naissen had told me to help her, and besides, she was a goddess. There was no way anything bad was going to happen to me if I followed Amaterasu.

"But..."

_But?_

"Just out of curiosity... got any brush techniques you can show me?"

I rolled my eyes and growled at him._ Really, Issun! How does Ammy put up with you?_

"Whoa! I was just asking!" said the Poncle hurriedly. "No need to get upset! Anyway, I'll show you two around the village. I have a feeling we're in for an epic adventure!"

_You have no idea how right you are, Issun_, I thought, and followed Amaterasu down the path toward Kamiki. But as I walked alongside the goddess the memory of my brief time back on Earth buzzed around my mind like an angry bee, refusing to leave me alone. I'd gone to sleep in this world and woken up in Geography without remembering what had happened earlier that day. I'd then been pulled back to Nippon when Amaterasu had roused me from my sleep. The notion that this world was a dream now seemed silly. Only a single question haunted my mind as we passed Mr. Orange's house.

_If Nippon was real, then how in the world would I get home?_

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_**A/N:**_ Eh, ending this chapter was hard. I wanted to keep going, but I figured this was long enough as it is. Again, comments and reviews are welcome!_  
_


	3. Deviation

**A/N: **I'm alive! O.O Yeah, it's been crazy these past few weeks. I had that 25 page biography to finish and a bunch of tests... on the plus side, I'm exempt from all my midterms. Anyway, because of all the stuff that has been going on, this chapter isn't as long as I'd have liked it to be...

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**Antithesis **

**Chapter 3: Deviation**

I sat back, amused, as Amaterasu dug up turnips from Mushi's mother's turnip patch, nimbly dodging the woman and distracting her with strokes of the Celestial Brush.

"So, furball, think she'll get them all?" Issun sat on my muzzle, watching with interest as Ammy used her Power Slash technique on her chaser's hat. I barked.

_Of course she'll get them all, _I thought. _As long as she keeps using the brush, that is._

"Is that a yes? Oh, never mind. There she goes."

Ammy left the turnip field holding her prize: the oddly-shaped turnip that Mushi and his dog Hayabusa had been aiming to dig up, while Mushi's mother looked at her now nearly vacant garden in distress. I watched as the wolf held out the turnip to Mushi, who turned pale.

"Hey! That's... that's... The oddly shaped turnip Hayabusa and I've been looking for!" gasped the boy, eyes widening in shock. "That means... You've broken Hayabusa's record by digging up all 10 turnips!" Mushi stomped one foot on the ground, then stomped the other one for emphasis. I yawned and sat back to watch the kid, half-expecting him to throw a fit even though he was in the middle of the village.

"Gosh darn it!" The kid fell silent for a moment. "... Fine... You're the better canine..." he admitted, and scratched the back of his head, looking back at his dog. Suddenly Mushi grinned and looked back at the sun goddess, who had gone to sleep on the ground in front of him.

"Just you wait, Snowy! Hayabusa and I will match your record!" said the boy excitedly, and ran over to his dog, urging the canine to get up and pointing at his mother's patch with such enthusiasm I thought he'd had seven cups of coffee. Not that coffee existed here... did it?

Issun hopped down from my muzzle and bounced over to Amaterasu, his aura flashing various colors, while I followed just behind him, taking another look back at the field of vegetables. Hayabusa had circled around Mushi's mother and was quickly digging up another turnip. As the woman turned her head in the dog's direction, I winced. _Something tells me that won't end so well. _I looked back at the wolf to see one amber eye open and look curiously at the Poncle as his aura turned back to its usual green color.

"All right, furball, maybe we should get moving. I mean, we've spent half the day here just helping the villagers."

It was true, too. We'd repaired the water mill that I'd accidentally broken, replaced Mrs. Orange's drying pole and helped her dry her clothes, and even cleared Kamiki of the strange evil influence that pervaded the air. There had been six -- count them, _six_ -- imps Amaterasu and I had dispatched together, Divine Retribution and Ticking Death working in tandem to rid the village of the demons. Not that I'd done much of the work; the goddess had taken down four of them on her own. It was breathtaking to see her in action: darting this way and that with fluid grace; dodging attacks with an ease that made her look like she was the wind itself; bashing her enemies with such fury that I wanted to shrink back and hide in a corner; wielding her Celestial Brush with expert precision; it was here that she'd seemed more like a fierce goddess and less like a wolf.

Ammy let out a yip and wagged her tail, getting up while Issun hopped atop her head. I trailed quietly behind them, watching both Poncle and wolf interact as they made their way to the far end of the village. Issun talked about anything that came to mind, while the wolf goddess listened and sometimes yipped in agreement. Not that that was saying much -- most of the time the artist rambled on about beautiful women he'd encountered while wandering Nippon. On the rare occasion he wasn't talking about a beautiful woman, he'd talk about some of his sketches and paintings or his life as a wandering artist. It was only a few seconds before I noticed that the goddess had turned her head, that same curious look she'd given Issun directed at me. I looked back at her -- and let out a bark of warning.

"Shin? What are you --" The artist's sentence was cut short when the white wolf walked headfirst into the trunk of a tree, sending Issun crashing to the ground. I ran over to them, slowing as I looked at the goddess. She seemed fine. Issun, on the other hand, was a different story. Lifting one paw, I prodded the Poncle that lay supine on the ground. _Issun?_

He didn't move.

_Um, Issun, really, time to get up_. I prodded him again, and this time he let out a groan. I glanced at Amaterasu -- and we both burst into a fit of wolfish giggles as we realized what had happened. The poor Poncle had fainted. Issun hopped up and down angrily, his aura changing from a calm green to a bright red.

"What're you two laughing about?" he demanded, and unsheathed his tiny sword. Ammy and I looked at each other and rolled on our backs, howling with laughter. He didn't know what had happened, either!

"Gah... I don't know why you furballs are laughing, and maybe I don't want to know," muttered Issun, placing Denkomaru back in its sheath. "Ammy, watch where you're going next time, will ya?"

Our fit of giggles subsided and we both got up, doing our best to shake off the dirt that had found its way onto our coats. Issun hopped on my head, muttering something about goddesses and their lack of long attention spans, before we set off toward the path that led out of Kamiki. _Strange... wasn't there supposed to be a boulder blocking the exit? _I padded up to the merchant's stand, which was surprisingly vacant. My eyes narrowed when I spotted a tell-tale trail of blood leading from the stand to the field just outside the village. Pieces of rock were strewn about the path, while several strange crystals floated where the boulder had once been. It was clear that someone -- or something -- had destroyed the boulder and presumably killed the merchant.

Amaterasu ventured forward only to leap back, snarling, as the crystals released cracking bolts of energy that shot back and forth between each other. Together they formed a lethal barrier that was impossible to get through.

"Whoa!" cried Issun, and hopped from my head over to the barrier to get a better view. The Poncle examined the barrier, being careful not to get too close to the raging storm of energy. Finally he said, "Hey, Ammy, think you could Power Slash those crystals?"

She barked in response and swished her tail, covering the gems with a line of ink that stretched from one end of the barrier to the other. The shining crystals in front of her swayed from side to side, but did not break.

"Not even a scratch," muttered Issun. "Hmm... looks like we're stuck here. If only we could find a way to remove these things..." he said, lost in thought. The artist continued to talk, but I was no longer listening; instead, I was looking back and forth between my tail and the crystals in front of me. Issun's words had reminded me of how the pole and water wheel had reacted when I'd used the Abyssal Brush on them -- the pole had broken into pieces, while part of the water wheel had disappeared completely. Raising my tail, I quickly painted over all the crystals, checking to make sure that I hadn't left one out. When the canvas vanished, the crystals dissolved into fine white dust that mingled with the soil and grass. I hid a smug grin as the Poncle stared in shock at the now-empty path.

"Wha-?!" Issun stood above the dust, waving Denkomaru where the barrier had been seconds ago. "I don't get it; Power Slash didn't work, but the crystals are gone..." He turned to Amaterasu. "Was that you?"

The white wolf shook her head, puzzlement reflected in her eyes. I remained silent -- the Abyssal Brush was a powerful tool, and one that they didn't need to know about unless it was unavoidable.

"Ah, whatever." Issun made his way back to us and bounced up onto the goddess' head. "Let's go, furballs!"

I loped ahead of Ammy as we set off down the path, intent on tracking the now-obvious trail of blood leading into Shinshu Field -- but whatever thoughts running through my mind scattered when I entered the once-beautiful area. Playing Okami could never have prepared me for the sight before my eyes. The grass was brown and brittle, while the soil itself seemed to be crying out for rain. The roiling black and red mist known as the cursed zone saturated most of the field, petrifying the people it touched and choking the plants in its cold grasp.

"This is bad," said Issun. "See that Guardian Sapling?"

The poor, withered tree stood near the center of area, its branches drooping toward the ground.

"It's supposed to be a place for travelers to rest and recuperate, but just look at it! It looks like it could fall over at any moment!" Issun turned his attention back to the miasma that pervaded Shinshu Field. "Yep, this place is definitely cursed -"

"Shinryu!" A loud, silky voice echoed throughout the decaying field. I looked around for the source, but beyond the statues, Guardian Sapling, and cursed zone, I saw nothing. A quick glance at Amaterasu told me that she hadn't seen anything as well.

"Your insolent actions have displeased Lord Orochi!" continued the voice, a gleeful note imbued in its words. "And I have been granted the honor of killing you."

Inwardly, I groaned. _Can't I go _one_ day without someone trying to kill me?_

"Do try and put up a fight, dear -- it'll be quite boring if you don't."

I crouched low, weathering the high winds that blasted past me as a thin, feminine figure landed with a resounding crash a few feet away. As the gusts died down I studied my opponent closely. She seemed to be made entirely of crystal, her body pulsating with a soft glow. Several shining diamonds floated in a circle behind her, glinting in the afternoon sun. In her hand was a ruby spear that cast a blood-red shadow on the ground. She looked from me to Amaterasu with disdain etched on her face.

"When I heard you were helping the origin of all that is good, I couldn't believe it at first." She tapped the point of her spear on the ground. "But it looks like it's true. Don't worry," she called to Ammy, pointing her spear at the wolf for emphasis, "I, Toyotama, the radiant jewel, will dispose of you next!"

"I generally like babes -" Issun had wormed out of the goddess' fur to gaze at Toyotama's lovely form "- but I can't stand it when they try to kill people. Let's get her, Ammy!"

Amaterasu let out a growl of approval.

_I guess I don't have a choice in this_, I thought as she and I both leapt at Toyotama, weapons swinging. We both let out a yelp and landed beside each other as both Instruments bounced off her crystalline skin.

_What the hell?!_ I fumed, letting out a low growl. The woman simply laughed and motioned to the crystals behind her. They shot forward to surround me with the same barrier that had blocked the entrance to Kamiki. I struck each crystal several times without avail -- they simply refused to break._ Abyssal Brush it is, then_, I thought, and began to paint over the numerous crystals that circled me.

"Really, Shinryu, I expected better from you. You of all people should remember that such a degraded weapon won't do any good against me," she taunted, blocking Ammy's Power Slash with her spear.

"You were the one who made those crystals, weren't ya?!" yelled Issun while the sun goddess moved swiftly to avoid the point of her enemy's weapon.

"And what if I did --" Toyotama halted in mid-sentence as the crystals around me shattered. I let my tail fall and did my best to put a smug grin on my face when her face contorted with anger. As she opened her mouth to say something to me Amaterasu rammed her from the side, sending both goddess and demon crashing into the nearby rock wall.

"Petty god," she hissed, and swatted the wolf away with the butt of her spear. Before she could twist her weapon around to impale Ammy, I jumped up, smacking her on the head with Ticking Death. Toyotama staggered back, jabbing wildly at me with her spear. I let out a howl of pain as the fine ruby point embedded itself in my shoulder. The demon recovered her footing and thrust forward again, missing me by mere inches. She drew back for another strike -- only to shield her eyes from the harsh sunlight that rained down upon Shinshu Field. Amaterasu had recovered, using Sunrise to blind Toyotama temporarily. The aura around the crystalline figure faded to a soft glow in the cleansing light of the sun, the luster of her skin diminishing as she staggered toward the shadows. I ignored the pain in my shoulder and attacked, my scythe glancing off her skin once -- twice -- three times, only backing away when she brandished her spear at me.

"Cursed light," muttered Toyotama as soon as she'd regained the cover of darkness. She froze as white dust began to seep out of small cracks where Ticking Death had struck. "Impossible," she breathed, gazing in shock at her wounds. It was only when Ammy growled and bounded toward her that her head snapped up. Her aura flared around her as the demon vaulted over the white wolf to stab at me, but a single Power Slash knocked the spear from her hands. It spiraled through the air, splitting into two with a resounding crack as it landed on the ground. Wounded and disarmed, Toyotama glared at me, hatred reflected in her azure eyes.

"You'll regret today, Shinryu," she hissed, backing away. "Next we meet, I will make you suffer for every second that you defied me. And as for you, wolf goddess-- I will have my revenge for your little trick with the sun!" Toyotama vanished in a puff of smoke as I pounced onto the spot where she'd been a second ago. I winced as I landed on the ground, my shoulder protesting the merciless impact.

"Gah, she got away," muttered Issun, hopping up and down atop Ammy's head as she walked over to me. The wolf let out a whine of worry as she saw my injury. In response I lifted my paw and moved it around, trying to show that despite the wound on my shoulder, my leg was still usable. Her eyes flooded with relief while Issun made his way down Amaterasu's leg and onto the ground.

"He's fine, furball," said the artist abruptly. "Ammy, you don't mind leaving us alone for a while, do ya?"

The sun goddess cocked her head to one side in puzzlement.

"I need to talk to Shin about something," he said, a hint of irritation in his voice as his aura flickered between green and red. Amaterasu looked from the Poncle to me with interest reflected in her eyes.

"We won't be long," said Issun. She let out a yip and walked several yards away, taking a seat near the edge of the cursed zone.

"All right, Shin, I'm not good with speeches, so I'm just gonna tell ya..."

_Tell me... what?_ I wondered, eying him questioningly.

"I don't trust ya, furball."

I blinked. _Erm, what?_

Issun's aura had changed from its flickering green color to a bright crimson. "Toyotama seemed to know you pretty well -- now tell me that's not suspicious."

_It's not suspicious! I've never even met her! _I thought indignantly.

The Poncle let out a gusty sigh. "Who am I kidding? Wolves can't talk." His aura became a calm green once again. "Anyway, the only reason you haven't tasted Denkomaru is because Ammy seems to have taken a liking toward ya."

_Gee, thanks, _I thought, and started off toward Amaterasu.

"Don't get any ideas, though," warned Issun while he ran alongside me. "If I even think you're gonna hurt Ammy I'll have myself a furball steak. Got it?" He drew his tiny sword for effect and swished it around, nearly hitting my paw.

_Yeah yeah, I get it_, I grumbled, waiting while the artist hopped atop the sun goddess' head._ No harming Amaterasu_. Not like I'd planned to, anyway, but Issun had no way of knowing that. With one last look at the desolate field around us, we set off down the trail that led to Hana Valley.

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**A/N: **Oh, I almost forgot! Thanks to all who reviewed last time! I appreciate it! Getting reviews encourages me to keep this going. 


	4. Waka

**A/N: **Whew. This one took a bit longer than I thought it would. I'd like to say a quick thank you to everyone who reviewed again, and also to Mookiethebold of GameFAQs, who compiled a game script. I still haven't found that 'reply to review' button. Worst case scenario, I'll just address everyone in these short author's notes before each chapter. Also, please excuse the rather short battle scene -- I'm still getting used to writing battles in first person. Future ones will hopefully be longer.

* * *

**Antithesis **

**Chapter 4: Waka**

" -And then she hurled that piece of paper at me. It totally wasn't my fault," complained Alan, scribbling on a small sheet of paper the words 'Anna sucks.' "How did I get detention when she was the one who threw the piece of paper?!"

"I don't know," I replied absently, and flipped through several more sheets of paper before returning to the page I'd been looking at. "You sure you didn't do anything?"

"Have you been paying attention_ at all_?" he said, exasperated. When I didn't reply, he sighed. "Obviously not." Alan scowled, getting up from his seat across the table to try and look at what I was reading. "What's that?" he finally asked when I moved the papers out of his line of sight.

"Nothing," I said, tucking the papers into my backpack. In truth, they were printouts of an Okami walkthrough I'd found online. My consciousness had once again been shot back into my body when I'd gone to sleep under the now-revived Guardian Sapling in Shinshu Field. Things had gone exactly as the guide had said they would in Hana Valley and the now fully-restored Kamiki Village, but the fact remained: Toyotama wasn't in the game at all. Somehow, my entry into that world had distorted the game's events; there was no telling just how different the journey to save Nippon would be. But it wouldn't hurt to know what exactly would have happened, and so I found myself trying to memorize the order of events.

"It didn't look like nothing," pressed Alan. He blinked. "You're not doing anything illegal, are you?!"

I rolled my eyes. "Really, Alan, don't be stupid."

He sighed. "It was just a thought," he said, and smirked. "It woulda been nice to see something interesting happen, y'know?"

I rolled my eyes. Alan was the type of guy who had to be doing something every minute that he wasn't sleeping and wished that gangsters would come to town -- if only so he wouldn't be bored.

His face darkened. "But seriously, dude, you've been acting odd for the past few days. Something wrong?"

The bell rang and we both stood up, gathering our books and stuffing them into our backpacks. The day was finally over; with any luck, I could actually get some homework done before waking up back in Shinshu Field. It wasn't like it mattered -- for some reason, my body here on earth carried on by itself, doing the things I'd normally do. My homework would get done, whether I was aware of it or not.

"Nah, nothing's wrong," I answered quickly. He raised a single eyebrow at me, but said nothing.

"Well," I said after a moment, "see ya later."

"Yeah, later."

I walked out the door and into the flow of students as they chattered incessantly, their excitement at finally having a moment of rest and relaxation at home during the weekend too much to contain. I made my way silently through the crowd to the parking lot, taking a quick glance at my watch. I'd been snapped back to reality eight hours ago; Issun and Amaterasu were probably going to wake me up in the next few minutes.

"Earth to Will? Hello?"

I blinked. Anna was standing by my car, backpack slung carelessly over one shoulder.

"Oh! Um, hi," I said, rubbing the back of my head with one hand. "So, uh, what are you doing here?"

She gave me a look that said 'What are you, stupid?' "Did Kaufman's calculus class get to you again? I asked you yesterday if you'd take me home today, and you said it'd be no problem."

I blanched. "Uh... how could I forget?" _Especially because I have no memory of this..._ I added mentally, when my vision began to blur and darken. I opened my mouth to say something to Anna even as I heard Issun speaking next to my ear.

"Come on, Shin, wake up," came the artist's voice. I opened my eyes and got up from the cold ground, letting out a yawn that came out as a quiet bark. Issun sat atop Amaterasu's head, her eyes conveying the message 'Good morning.'

"Morning, furball. Have any good dreams?" Knowing that I wouldn't reply, he went on. "I had a great one. Mind if I tell you about it?"

_Yes. Not like you won't start talking anyway, _I thought as he began to describe his dream full of women, with the lovely wood sprite Sakuya in the center of them all. He continued on for a couple of minutes until at last the sun goddess, having heard enough, jerked her head up to send the Poncle flying into the air. She caught him in her mouth and held him there for a few seconds before spitting him back out onto the ground. I suppressed a laugh as Issun bounced in front of Ammy, furious.

"Ya crazy wolf! What'd ya do that for?!" raged Issun, his aura a bright red. "Handsome guys are _not _supposed to be covered in wolf slobber!"

She grinned and yipped at him, picking him up gently with her teeth and tossing him onto her head.

"Thanks a lot, Ammy," he grumbled as Amaterasu and I headed for the pier that would take us to Agata Forest. "But I think I'm gonna miss being in Sakuya's kimono... if you know what I mean."

I could have sworn the Poncle winked at me as he said this, but his face was impossible to see even with a wolf's eyes. _Issun, could you be more of a pervert?_ I mused idly, following Amaterasu onto the wooden dock. But as much as I hated to admit it, he did have a point -- Sakuya had been breathtakingly beautiful, her long, jet black hair and pink outfit moving in time with the gentle breeze while the scent of fresh flowers filled the area. Of course, there was also the fact that her outfit was undeniably revealing, but I tried not to dwell too long on that. Catching the glazed look in my eyes, Ammy let out a bark that sounded uncannily like a 'hmph' and quickened her pace.

_Did I do something?_ I wondered, catching up to her with a few bounds. After a few minutes of walking the white wolf stopped to looked at me, a mischievous glint in her eye. Before I could take a step toward her she nipped my tail and ran toward the pier. I blinked in confusion. _What was that all about?_ It was only when she'd stopped a fair distance away, a wolfish grin on her face, that I realized that it was a game. _No fair_, I protested, sprinting to catch up with her. _She got a headstart!_ Just as I was about to catch up to her she swerved to one side, doubling back toward the Guardian Sapling. I skidded, nearly touching a floating Demon Scroll, and chased after her, my legs working furiously in an effort to match her speed. _Don't even think you're getting away_, I thought, a smile tugging at the corners of my muzzle. And so a game of tag ensued that encompassed all of Shinshu Field, Amaterasu always one step ahead of me with a playful look in her eyes and me always one step behind, trying not to laugh at her antics. At last, with one mighty leap, I tackled her, sending the two of us crashing onto the ground just a few feet away from the wooden dock.

"You two done playing around?" asked Issun, emerging from Amaterasu's fur as we rested on the ground, trying to catch our breaths. Ammy yipped in response, slowly rising to her feet.

"Well, let's go then, furballs! Agata Forest awaits!"

--------------------------

Several lilypads and one wet Poncle later, we reached the end of the passage that led into the forest. The faint vapors of stagnant air blew through the tunnel, sending a chill down my spine. Amaterasu and I looked at each other knowingly and started forward, grim looks on our faces. As we emerged from the passageway, Issun stared at the desolate area that had once been a vibrant forest in disbelief. Agata Forest didn't look much like a forest -- all but a few trees were gone, while the water seethed with the black and red substance that was a cursed zone. The air was still; not a single breeze blew as we made our way down the path to the edge of the cursed lake.

"The cursed zone expanded into the forest?!" said the artist, the shock apparent in his voice. "I thought evil would shun areas with so much grass and trees..." he murmured, half to himself. His voice rose as he addressed the two of us with his usual gusto. "It must really be some curse, the way it's changed the forest..." Issun sat back, thinking. At last he spoke. "Well, why don't we look for that Guardian Sapling, Ammy?"

The wolf bobbed her head up and down in response, and turned to go back up the path.

_Wrong way...!_ I barked and moved toward the waterfall, where I knew the Guardian Sapling was hidden. The goddess turned to look at me, curiosity etched on her face. I took a few more steps toward the waterfall and barked again. _It's over here!_

Amaterasu blinked and walked over to me, lifting a paw in the direction of the waterfall. I nodded, and we both started toward the flow of running water.

"You spotted that, Shin?" asked Issun skeptically as a large crack came into view. A Cherry Bomb materialized in front of the crack as the goddess let down her tail. In seconds it exploded, revealing a tunnel that led further in. Wordlessly we ventured down it to find another crack, and with another bomb the fragile wall vanished to reveal the withered Guardian Sapling.

"Good goin', Shin!" Issun bounced up and down with glee. "All right, Ammy, do your stuff!"

Ammy let out an eager bark and swiftly drew a circle around the poor tree. It instantly burst into bloom, flower petals falling from its strong boughs as the dormant power that rested within its trunk burst out through its roots to banish the miasma that pervaded the forest. As the scent of flowers filled the area, three green lights whipped around the base of the tree. With a blinding flash, they vanished, leaving behind an ornately carved chest on the now-vibrant grass. Blinking, the wolf tentatively stepped forward and gave it a stern headbutt. The chest popped open, yellow beads floating up to greet their new owner.

"A new Divine Instrument, guarded by a Guardian Sapling, eh... Wow, Sakuya's gonna spoil you at this rate, furball," chuckled Issun as she carefully placed the Devout Beads around her neck. She shifted her weight between both paws, testing out how the orbiting beads impeded her movements.

"Hey, Ammy! Let's see if any of the people around here can tell us how far this curse has spread!" said the artist. Amaterasu nodded and we headed toward the exit, enjoying the fresh air that had blown in now that the cursed zone had been vanquished. As we emerged from the opening, the notes of a flute drifted down from above, filling the area with melodious music. I looked up to spot a man clothed in pink garb playing a small flute. When the last of the notes faded, he spoke, the faintest hint of a foreign accent in his voice.

"Hark! The call of the heavens, the earth, the sea... They summon me forth to defeat evil!" The oddly-clothed man emphasized his words with movements, ending with a pose that I guessed he thought was heroic. "Waka, the gods' gift to man is here! Bonjour!"

There was a moment of stunned silence as we all stared up at him. "What's up with that guy?" said Issun finally, looking at the Tao Master.

"That crimson shading and Divine Instrument on your back..." He let his arms rest across his chest, staring at Amaterasu with interest. "You look kinda weird... but I reckon you pack a punch, baby."

Recognition flooded into the goddess' eyes and she let out a giggle, tail wagging. Though I'd known what he would say, I still felt a twinge of annoyance.

_Is he hitting on Amaterasu?_

"And you..." He shifted his gaze from the goddess to me. I glared back at him, refusing to blink.

"Your blue markings and Dark Instrument... can it be...?" he said, looking down at me with furrowed brows. Issun had recovered from his surprise and had begun to jump up and down on Ammy's head.

"Hey! Think you're so special way up there, huh? Get down here and talk face to -" The Poncle stopped bouncing. "Wait, did he just say crimson shading and blue markings?" There was disbelief in his voice. "Can he see your true forms?!"

While he'd been talking the Tao Master had leapt gracefully off of his perch atop a branch and landed on the water, ripples spreading from where his feet just barely floated as both Ammy and I tilted our heads to one side in amazement. We remained that way until he twirled his flute and drew what looked like a lightsaber from the seemingly harmless instrument.

"Hey! He drew a sword!" yelled Issun, his voice a mix of anger and shock.

"Oui! This is how I get my point across, pun intended..." said Waka, eyes glinting in amusement.

_What is this guy's problem? _I thought. _Besides the French accent?_

"The moment the cursed zone started spreading across Nippon, I saw the shadowy figure that removed the sacred sword Tsukuyomi flee into Kamiki Village and seal the entrance with a huge rock." The man pointed his glowing blade at us. "You guys know anything about that?"

"Huge rock? What're ya talkin' about?" asked Issun.

Now it was Waka's turn to have confusion written upon his face. "No rock...?" His face visibly darkened. "I see. _His_ agents move faster than I anticipated..." he muttered to himself. The Tao Master looked up as the wolf goddess crouched into her fighting stance, letting out a low growl. I followed suit, readying Ticking Death for battle.

"Magnifique!" laughed Waka, pointing his glowing blade at Amaterasu. "I wouldn't have it any other way! Now you shall get an earful of my beloved sword! Behold, Pillow Talk!"

_Pillow Talk?! What kind of a name for a sword is _Pillow Talk?! I thought as the man weaved in the air, unsheathing a second sword made of plain metal from his belt and performing several complicated maneuvers in a single movement. _Show off._

"Let's rock, baby!" cried Waka, and dashed toward us, waves trailing in his wake. He sliced at the air where she and I had been standing only moments before, only to grunt as several beads slammed into his back. The beads circled back to gather around the sun goddess' neck while I attacked, my scythe meeting the edge of the Tao Master's blade in a shower of sparks. His free sword swung toward me, and I nimbly dodged away, just barely avoiding the sharpened edge.

_I don't need any more wounds, thank you very much_, I growled, and leapt at him again, Ticking Death sneaking past his defenses. _But maybe you do!_

"I did not expect you to be traveling with ma cherie, little black wolf," said Waka, as if I had merely said hello instead of leaving a large cut on his side, and hurled daggers cloaked in flame at me. Before they could hit, a single Power Slash from Amaterasu sent them flying back at their owner. The Tao Master simply laughed and knocked them away with a quick slice from Pillow Talk while holding off a vicious assault from the reflector that adorned the goddess' back. I circled around Waka as Ammy loosed her rosary, the beads wrapping themselves around his left foot to hold him fast. I quickly dashed in and left a cut on his leg before he broke free of the Devout Beads. As I aimed for his head the blunt edge of his steel sword caught me under the legs and sent me crashing into a nearby tree. Everything blurred for a moment as I tried to stand, pink and white shapes dancing in front of my vision. I blinked several times and shook my head to see the goddess and Tao Master fighting so ferociously that I unconsciously took a step backward. Waka took a defensive stance as Amaterasu bounded off a tree and into the air above him, her white fur gleaming in the light of the sun. With a growl she brought Divine Retribution down onto the waiting Pillow Talk, their weapons meeting with a loud clang that echoed throughout the forest. Waka forced the wolf back and swung his other sword in a wide arc, intending to catch the goddess as she landed.

_Don't think so_, I growled, and painted the ground under his feet, grinning as he flailed his arms in the air in an attempt to stay upright. With a loud 'oomph,' he landed on the soil -- only to flip upright to ward off more blows from Ammy's beads. Unwilling to let the battle to go any further, I used Destruction a few more times on the ground where the Tao Master stood, forcing him to retreat until at last he leapt back to land without a single ripple on the water.

"That's quite enough for now," called Waka from where he stood. "It's been quite some time since I've tasted your power, Amaterasu... and you, Shinryu."

Issun blinked, looking from us to him. "Wait a sec... you two know this guy?"

Amaterasu nodded in reply while I shook my head.

_Nope. No clue. All I know is that he's really, really weird. _I frowned. _Why is it everyone seems to know me, anyway?_

The Tao Master laughed and folded his arms across his chest. "Well... That _was _pretty tactless of me. Excuse-moi, baby. You've seen the cursed zones that swallow even the light of the sun, oui?"

I nodded._ And now you're going to tell us it's Orochi's work, right? _

"It is the curse of Orochi, the legendary 8-headed serpent!"

_Bingo. Shinryu: one, Waka: zero._

"O-O-Orochi?" stuttered Issun, clearly afraid.

"Do not utter that name without reason," warned Waka, transforming Pillow Talk back into a flute with a flick of his wrist. "That alone could curse the weak of mind. The beast's evil has caused a cursed zone to cover these lands."

Amaterasu, tired of listening to the Tao Master drone on, lay down on the ground and went to sleep.

The Poncle seemed to have recovered from his fright. "We're way ahead of you, pretty boy! We've been busy dispelling the curse left and right," said Issun proudly from atop her instrument, and stepped onto goddess' head before quickly jumping off. Ammy brought her head up to give him an annoyed look before returning to her slumber.

"That Orochi's gonna be mincemeat when we're through with it!" finished the artist, and drew Denkomaru, slicing at the air in front of him to illustrate his point.

"So, you're the ones who've revived the trees in this area... But a lot of time's passed since Orochi's return. You'd better pick up the pace, ma cherie..." Waka sheathed his other sword. "For our battle just now was a big disappointment. You're not what you used to be, Amaterasu."

Feeling restless, I began to pace. _Of course she's not, she's been a statue for 100 years! I'd like to see _you _become a statue, be reborn, and claim to have all your abilities_, I thought, irritated.

"You may have defeated Orochi long ago, but... one cannot dwell on past glories." Waka turned to me, traces of laughter all but gone from his face. "And you, Shinryu... I expected more from the one who was rumored to have rivaled the sun goddess in power. You have much to improve on if you ever hope to defeat Verel."

I froze and stared back at him. _Me? Match Amaterasu's power? _I shook my head. It simply wasn't possible. Yes, I held the Abyssal Brush, and yes, I was wielding a Dark Instrument, but that meant nothing. I'd been next to useless in fights against demons -- it had been Ammy who had done most of the work. Even if I fought for over 100 years, something told me I'd never be able to match her in battle.

"That's enough!" yelled Issun, his aura now a deep crimson. He pointed at Waka with his tiny sword, his voice high-pitched and accusatory. "How do we know that shadowy figure that fled to Kamiki wasn't you?!"

Waka smiled at the Poncle's antics. "Relax, my little bouncing friend." He blinked. "Oh, I almost forgot! I have a little prophecy for you. I can see into the future, you know."

I rolled my eyes, disgusted. _Everyone knows prophets are fake. _

He cleared his throat. "I foresee a log and big thrills!"

_And what exactly does that mean?! _

"You'll know what I'm talking about when the time comes! Anyway, I must be off. The work of a prophet is never done. Au revoir, baby."

"Who the heck does that guy think he is!" growled Issun when the last of the Tao Master had vanished. I gently nudged Amaterasu, who stood up and let out a yawn.

"Ah, ah, where could he be?!" came a panicked voice. A man wearing light red clothing and a bearskin cloak rushed into view. His quiver, set firmly on his back, barely shook as he frantically scanned the area. Adjusting the bow slung over his shoulder, he turned to us.

"Ah, a white wolf... just like Shiranui! I don't suppose you bumped into my son, Kokari, in the forest, did you? No?"

_Kokari? Then he has to be Karude, right?_

Karude turned to me. "What about you, black wolf?" When I didn't answer, he sighed and sat down under a nearby tree. "I just hope that boy of mine hasn't entered those ruins..." he mumbled to himself. Suddenly, he chuckled. "Listen to me, talking to a pair of wolves! If I hadn't left that key lying around, this wouldn't be happening..."

Issun turned to the two of us. "Hear that, furballs? Ya wanna help him out?"

Both Ammy and I nodded. _It's where we're supposed to go, anyway... _

The artist hopped on Ammy's head, and we turned to walk toward the large, open gate that led to the ancient structure of Agata Forest.

The Tsuta Ruins.

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**A/N:** Tsuta Ruins already! I didn't think it'd go this fast! Drop a review if you have the time, please; feedback is always appreciated! 


	5. Tsuta Rumble, Part 1

**A/N:** Happy New Year, everyone! And with a new year comes a new chapter! Sorry I couldn't get this up sooner -- I was on vacation! -_sweatdrop_- This chapter's actually shorter, but for a good reason...

In other news, I'm still debating whether or not _A Present for Amaterasu_ should be a part of the _Antithesis_ storyline or not. If it were, it would take place a little later on.

And last but not least: I'm looking for a beta for this story. My current one is absolutely amazing, but he's also beta-ing another story for me, and I don't want to keep burdening him with both. If you can beta (and have AIM), just PM me.

* * *

**Antithesis**

**Chapter 5: Tsuta Rumble, Part 1**

The Tsuta Ruins were beyond anything I'd ever seen. The gentle arms of Agata Forest had already claimed the outer face of the ruins, blending the stone in with the verdant green that surrounded it. Vines, weeds, and various plants exploded from cracks in the door of Tsuta Ruins. A rush of stale air wafted past us as the door opened, revealing a ancient hall that any archaeologist would have killed to explore.

"Is anyone else getting chills?" said Issun loudly while we crossed the threshold. "I don't like the looks of this place at all."

_Tell me about it._ The purple waters reeked of death and decay, while the corrupted trees watched us with their undivided attention. The plants in the area had vanished, unable to live in the face of the poisonous stench. Even the stones themselves seemed to be crying out for a respite from the water that hissed and bubbled as Amaterasu and I walked along the stone path. The vines along the wall were shriveled; not even Amaterasu's Bloom could bring them back to life.

"Doesn't look like anyone's been in here for ages," remarked the Poncle as the white wolf purified the nearest tree with the Celestial Brush. "Hey, Ammy, I bet there's tons of treasure in here!"

Having gotten used to his personality by now, I ignored Issun and took the time to look at the now magnificent tree that stood atop a small stone pedestal. Its arms swayed majestically while I looked at it, dropping several vibrant leaves down on my snout. _No matter how many times I see it, it's still amazing how she - _

"Shin! Hurry up!" called Issun impatiently. I turned to see Amaterasu halfway through the nearest door, staring back at me. The look in her eyes urged me to hurry; not a single second could afford to be wasted. I shook my head to clear the leaves from my snout and followed her. Once I was within a few steps she continued into the next room and growled as a shining blue crystal plummeted from the ceiling, entering the water with a loud splash. It sank like a coin in quicksand, quickly reaching the bottom of the pond. The bedrock shattered, leaving a gargantuan hole that the poisonous water quickly rushed down.

"What the heck was_ that_?!" yelped the artist, staring down into the dark abyss. "I'd hate to fall in there..."

_Yeah. I feel sorry for whoever's unfortunate enough to -_ My thoughts scattered when another crystal, larger than the last, landed in the center of the stone bridge we stood on and plunged down into the darkness, leaving a clear gap in the path between the two of us. I froze as a loud cracking sound came from behind me.

_Uh... oh..._ I thought, and slowly turned to find a crack in the rock that was growing wider by the moment.

"Move it furball! It's gonna fall!" yelled Issun. I gathered my legs to jump across, but it was too late. The ground beneath me fell away as suddenly as the crack had appeared. Before I had time to do anything, I tumbled into the abyss. The last thing I heard was Amaterasu's anguished howl -- and then the darkness swallowed me whole.

----------------------------

I landed with a thud on solid ground after what seemed like ages. I slowly stood up, gingerly inspecting my body for any injuries. My legs and tail seemed to be working fine despite the long fall. _Pure dumb luck, _I thought, shaking my head. The area was too dark too see anything clearly; the only source of light was a a single glowing symbol carved into the ground. I blinked. _Another rune down here? Does that mean that..._ I stepped onto the faintly glowing symbol before my thought had finished. Despite the fact that everything around me was pitch black, the area grew darker still. From out of the darkness, I spotted a streak of deep blue. I barked at it to get its attention; slowly it slithered into what little light there was. A snake, its skin an azure hue mixed with black spots, dropped into view, hissing as I took a seat on the floor.

"Shinryu! Long has it been since we last met," said the snake, curling up in front of me. Its twin black eyes stared at my tail.

_Uh... yeah. Sure._ I'd long since given up trying to persuade others that they'd never met me before.

"My slumber has been restless these past years," it stated. "As you recall, I, Kumoboshi, am one of the three Elders in the council known collectively as the Karagami."

I nodded in spite of the fact that I had never heard of the Karagami. Satisfied with the simple gesture, Kumoboshi went on. "Great Shinryu, always remember that a line is the quickest way between two points..."

_A line?_ I cocked my head to one side. _So I just draw a line from... what, me to any old thing? _

As always, my silent questions remained unanswered.

"Let the power of Silverwisp return to the Abyssal Brush!" hissed Kumoboshi as it faded, the rune rising from its place on the floor to float in front of me. It spun around the chamber once before slipping into my chest. A warm sensation coursed through my body and down to my tail. _Another power returned, then_, I thought, and watched the area brighten to reveal Toyotama leaning against a statue of a headless man, an emerald spear in hand.

"Hello again, Shinryu." Her voice was pleasant, not at all filled with the rage that I'd expected from her. "I see you've retrieved Kumoboshi's power." She twirled her spear lazily, eying me with disdain. "Such a slow pace, dear. You can't move any faster?"

I tensed, ready to spring at her, when I remembered that my Dark Instrument had done absolutely nothing against her crystalline form.

"I'm afraid that your little sun goddess isn't here to save you this time," she snarled, pointing the spear at me. "And I've learned a few new tricks, too. Care to see?"

_Not really... But you're going to -- yeah, I thought so_, I growled, and dashed to the left. Several crystals, each the size of a boulder, smashed into the spot where I'd been standing. _Can't you do anything small?!_

I focused on dodging the large, sharp gems that she continued to throw at me, all the while wishing Amaterasu was with me -- a few of her Power Slashes would have taken care of this nicely. With each toss, the crystals came closer and closer to spearing me through; it was only a matter of time before Toyotama hit her mark.

"I'm growing tired of this, Shinryu," called the demon. She made a show of yawning. "Care to actually strike back before I finish you?" She twirled her spear in anticipation of the kill.

_I'd love to, but..._ I drew a line from me to the wall far above Toyotama's head. _It's time for me to go._ I gulped, and let my tail fall, praying that I was right about how Silverwisp worked.

A thick strand of web shot from the wall to me, swiftly tugging me up toward the faint light at the top of the shaft amid the demon's cries of rage. My paws touched the wall and I pushed off, drawing another line to snare me and bring me to the top. As the broken bridge came into view, I sketched a final line to land me on the right side of the bridge.

"SHINRYU!" bellowed Toyotama from below. "Come back! I haven't killed you yet!"

I shuddered and walked through the open door, ignoring her pleas and threats. When the last echoes of her voice had faded, I let out a sigh of relief and continued onward. The water had already been purified -- brilliant, clear water flowed throughout the ruins, cleansing whatever poison had seeped through the cracks of stone and reviving the plant life throughout the area. Patches of flowers marked the graves of slain demons, while chests of treasure stood with their lids open, their contents missing. _Yep. Amaterasu's definitely been through here._ I made my way through the ruins, using Silverwisp to travel faster than my legs could take me. It was only after a few minutes of traveling that a blood-curdling yell resounded around the room. I spun around to see Toyotama, her eyes literally sparking as she threw her spear at me. I ran out of the way, dropping into my battle stance._ Don't you ever give up?!_

"I don't let my prey escape twice," she hissed, and stretched out one hand. The spear flew back to her waiting arms, floating just in front of her hand. "The Tsuta Ruins will be your grave!"

I painted a line from me to a vine near an opening to the center of the ruins, intent on running away. I blinked, surprised, when the strand of web appeared but simply hung in the air, refusing to transport me to the vine. I tugged on it experimentally, and with a soft crack the vine fell from its place on the far wall to the floor. The webbing dissipated as I stared in puzzlement at what had just happened. _That's not how it's supposed to work...!_

"Standing still," sang Toyotama, and tossed a crystal my way. I yelped and leapt onto an overgrown mushroom, the crystal passing mere inches from my nose. Turning to face her, I growled and snapped at the demon, knocking away another crystal she threw at me with my scythe while trying to think. Silverwisp allowed the user to travel to normally unreachable places, but it had done something different with the vine. The webbing hadn't pulled me toward the wall; instead, it had hung in the air, allowing me to move the vine attached to it with ease. I crouched behind the mushroom, a plan forming in my mind. It was risky at best, but there was only one way to find out whether or not it would work.

"Oh come on," pouted Toyotama. "Quit hiding already!"

_As you wish._ I strode from behind the mushroom to the center of the room. A burning sensation ratcheted through my throat; I took in several breaths, trying to calm the raging firestorm behind my tongue, but to no avail. A roar, louder than that I'd ever heard, erupted from my open maw, moving the demon back several feet with its sheer force.

"Well," she said, and blinked. "That was unexpected." Shrugging, she lifted her spear. "But it won't stop you from dying!"

The spear raced toward me with all the speed and power of a falcon, the green blur slicing through the air without hesitation. Its point glinted sinisterly in the sunlight.

_A roar won't stop me from dying... but hopefully this will!_ I drew a line from the spear to my muzzle, then moved out of the way as the web did its work, plucking the spear from its path and binding it to me. I whipped my head around, dragging the spear in a wide circle, before leading it into Toyotama. The demon screamed as her own weapon ran through her arm, pinning her next to a carving of the sun.

"Why are you so intent on living, Shinryu?" she gasped, reaching for the spear but failing to grab its shaft with her free hand. "You know Lord Orochi and even the High Overlord want you dead -- it's only a matter of time before someone accomplishes the task." She grinned. "And who better to do it than me?"

_I don't know... how about someone who's not bipolar? _I shook my head, looking up at the demon. One moment she was ranting angrily, and the next she was as happy as a child on Christmas morning.

"I have never failed to slay my enemy," she said proudly. Suddenly her eyes narrowed. "Until you. You keep just out of my grasp, taunting me; really, Shinryu, is it so hard for you to die?"

_Um... yes_.

Toyotama shook her head. "I won't stop until I've killed you. You..." she trailed off as a very familiar white wolf approached at a run. Spotting me, she yipped and tackled me. Before I knew it, I was covered in wolf slobber.

_Ah, okay, Ammy, I'm all right!_ It took several minutes to convince her that I was perfectly fine. At last she stepped off of me, relief reflected in her eyes.

"Awww, look at that," said Toyotama softly, sarcasm dripping from her words. "The wittle wolf and his girlfriend, the sun goddess."

I shook my head vehemently._ We travel together, nothing more._

She snorted in disgust. "I never thought you could fall that far."

"It's that crazy babe again!" yelled Issun angrily, and drew Denkomaru. "Are you following us or somethin'?!"

The demon peered at Issun. "Oh, I had no idea such a little bug traveled along with you. Well, little bug, let me spell it out for you --"

"_I am not a bug!_"

"-- my task is to kill Shinryu, and I will continue to track him until I've succeeded." There was a grim smile plastered on her face as she finished. "So go ahead; kill me. That's what you're going to do now, isn't it?" She looked from me to Amaterasu questioningly.

"Well, furballs, whaddaya think? Should we?" Issun moved in front of one of Ammy's eyes. "You look like you want to say something... 'honor'? Is that it?"

Her head bobbed up and down.

"You're joking," said the artist in disbelief. "Ya want to face her in an honest battle sometime and not kill her now?"

Again Amaterasu nodded.

"I don't believe this," muttered the Poncle as the sun goddess motioned for us to leave. I nodded, and with a final glance at Toyotama we left the room.

"Ya know she'll just come after Shin again, right?" said Issun after a moment. The wolf barked in reply.

"Just checking. Anyway, Shin, it's good to have ya back." He made himself comfortable on Ammy's snout before continuing. "Sorry about leaving; Ammy over here wanted to wait for ya, but I knew you could handle yourself. Still, it took a while before I could get her to move from that bridge..." He shrugged when we entered the spacious chamber of Tsuta Ruins. Above our heads floated several flowers that radiated a soft golden light, while a giant, weathered statue stood forlornly in the center of the room.

"Bah, whatever. Shin, I think we might have to leave you behind," he began, motioning to the flowers. "Ammy can use a brush technique to get up on top of the statue, but I don't know if -- whoa!"

Tired of listening to Issun, I'd drawn a line from me to the top of the statue, trying to hide a smirk as I was pulled to the statue's peak by Kumoboshi's power. Amaterasu followed suit, using the flowers and the power of Vine to climb to the top.

"You _do_ have brush techniques!" cried Issun as the white wolf touched down next to me. He hopped up and down excitedly. "That was one of them, wasn't it?!"

I hesitated, then nodded. They were going to find out sooner or later, anyway; there was no point in lying to them about the Abyssal Brush. _Besides, it's not like I can explain how a strand of web suddenly pops out of nowhere to take me to the statue's head... _

"It's decided, then!"

_What's decided?_

"You're sticking with us, furball!"

Amaterasu shook her head in exasperation. With a nod to me, she turned and slipped down into the hole that I knew led to the monster that made its home within these ancient ruins: the Spider Queen. I jumped after her, wishing that everywhere I went didn't have something that wanted to kill me.

"I don't like this at all," mumbled Issun from inside the sun goddess' fur, looking at the slowly narrowing dirt tunnel we were walking through. The candles on either side went out as we passed, a sign that someone -- or _something_, as the case was -- knew we were coming. At last we came to an door that screamed of danger, skulls strewn haphazardly across the tiles in front of it.

"We really goin' in there?" asked Issun nervously, peeking out from beneath strands of glistening white fur.

The wolf nodded her head once.

_Yup._

"You serious?!"

When we both stepped toward the door, Issun vanished back into Ammy's fur coat. For once, I envied him -- no matter what happened, he would be safe. Some part of my thoughts must have shown on my face, for the sun goddess gave me a reassuring grin. I took a deep breath, looking from her to the door.

_Let's go._

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**A/N: **Oh, I do so love cliffhangers. Is the Spider Queen_ really_ what awaits them...? -_evil laugh_- You'll have to wait and see. 

For my beta: Falcons do fly fast. Up to 200 miles per hour. -_points at divebombing peregrine falcon_- You really don't want to get hit by one of those.


	6. Tsuta Rumble, Part 2

**A/N: **Ahhhh! Sorry this took so long! Generally, it was the battle scene holding me up. Well, that, and the fact that I got the flu. But writing a drawn out battle scene in first person is a new experience for me, and I hope it turned out okay. I ended up not running the last part of the chapter by my beta due to difficulties with the internet, so it's subject to minor changes. Replies to reviews are at the end of the chapter! And please, please review! It really helps my writer's morale!

By the way, has anyone else noticed that this site has been kinda glitchy? It puts words together or deletes punctuation or letters entirely. If you see something, please PM me and let me know.

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**Antithesis **

**Chapter 6: Tsuta Rumble, Part 2**

"H-hey, Shin, I'm all for bravery, but don't ya think this is a bit much?" said Issun, his voice coming out as a squeak. The entire chamber was dark, with an opening to the starry sky above.

_Actually, I do_, I thought, and sighed as the door slammed shut behind us. _But it's not like we can do anything now_.

Amaterasu's Sunrise called forth the light of the sun, driving the shadows away with its magnificent rays to reveal the circular room in its entirety. I blinked and swept my gaze across the room, sure that I'd missed something. Cracked stone walls, vines, gushing water, a few webs -- but no Spider Queen. Mushi and his dog were cheerfully examining a few markings on the wall to our left.

_It's... empty? _My muscles relaxed and I shook my head slowly. _Heh... I got nervous over nothing. _

Issun had apparently been thinking the same thing. "Well, whaddaya know? There's nothing here, furballs!" The artist chuckled to himself. "Let's get go-- ah, Ammy?!"

I stared in confusion at the sun goddess as took off toward Kokari, snatching the boy up without a second thought. Ume ran alongside the wolf as she dashed toward the closed door as though death itself was chasing her.

_What is she_ -- My thought remained unfinished as a massive black blur fell through the opening in the ceiling and smashed into the center of the chamber, kicking up clouds of dust that obscured my vision. _What the hell?!_ A jagged rock fell from the ceiling, burying itself in the stone next to my head. I leapt nimbly from side to side as more rocks plunged from the ceiling, shaken loose by the impact. When no more appeared to try and crush me, I looked over at Amaterasu, who was gently setting Kokari down by the door.

"Thank you, doggie," the boy, his face pale as he looked back at the now boulder-covered spot where he'd been standing moments earlier. "Ume and I would have been in big trouble if you hadn't brought us over here!"

"Yeah, you're welcome, kid. But Ammy, I think we've got bigger problems," said Issun. Wordlessly, the three of us turned our attention to the center of the chamber. The dust had vanished to reveal a gigantic spider, its long, hairy limbs covered with what looked to be bits and pieces of bones. At each leg joint was a skull from which miniature spiders scurried forth, traipsing up and down their fellow arachnid at will. Eight eyes glared at us while Kokari and Ume plastered themselves against the wall in fear. Although tempted to join them, I stood my ground. After all, if Amaterasu could stand to look at this ugly creature of evil, then so could I.

"Are you those dogs that have been sniffing about?" hissed the spider, her high, scratchy voice rebounding off of the walls. "I will not allow you to ruin my master's triumphant return!" Those eight eyes fixed their gaze on us. The anger in them was all too apparent as she spoke.

"Shinryu and Amaterasu, is it?" She moved one leg lazily in our direction. "You are aware that sticking your noses where they do not belong will get you killed." The spider's voice went from calm to vehement in the blink of an eye. "Speak your last words, fools! The Spider Empress demands it!"

_Empress? Isn't it supposed to be Queen?!_ I thought as the goddess dashed forward, Divine Retribution gleaming in the sunlight. A loud clang filled the chamber as reflector struck leg, sending sparks showering to the floor. Amaterasu flipped away as one of the Empress' eight legs drew back to impale her with their sharpened points.

"How dare you!" cried the Spider Empress, swatting at the white wolf as she landed beside me, growling. "Dog is not usually on my menu, but I shall make the two of you an exception!"

"This ain't no dog!" retorted Issun angrily from atop Amaterasu's muzzle. "This here is a goddess! And Shin over there is..." The Poncle stopped and turned to face me. "Uh, Shin... are you a god or somethin'?"

I shook my head. _Nope. _

"Eh... well, Shin over there's a wolf! Not a dog!"

"Well now!" cackled the Spider Empress. "The beasts can speak!" She rubbed her front legs together in anticipation of the fight. "Very well, then! I shall send you back to where you came from! This shall not hurt a bit." A white, foamy substance began to froth at the corners of her mouth. "Stand still for just a moment..." she whispered, and sent streams of webbing flying in our direction.

I darted to the left as Amaterasu shot to the right, barely avoiding the substance that sought to bind us to the ground. Power Slashes glanced off the spider's legs and face; the Empress didn't even seem fazed by them at all. I joined the fray, striking at the nearest leg with Ticking Death. The scythe bit into its leg, leaving a large gash that bled a sickly green as I stepped away. The Spider Empress let out a scream that was quickly suppressed by a Cherry Bomb to the face. The divine reflector lashed out three times, leaving burning wounds where it hit. She slammed her eight legs into the ground, shaking them furiously to dislodge stones from the chamber floor. Six boulders popped out of the flooring, landing with a thud around the Spider Empress. I gulped, taking a few steps toward the sun goddess while she growled in defiance at the creature's antics.

_Well, this doesn't look good._

The stones began to shake, stretching out legs that had been pinned to their sides for far too long. A multitude of eyes opened to stare at us, while six mandibles gnashed the air hungrily.

_Nope, not at all. _

Six stone spiders surrounded the Empress, their eyes filled with hatred at the ones who would dare harm their ruler so. A loud rumbling filled the air as they lumbered towards us. A Cherry Bomb materialized, blowing one to pieces, while Power Slashes carved into another's legs, rendering the living statue immobile. Realizing that I wasn't doing anything to help out, I swiftly drew a line from a spider to my snout. The battle with Toyotama had taught me how to use Silverwisp as a weapon. The question was, would it work with something as heavy as a granite statue? I bit down on the white, fluffy material. _Here goes nothing..._ I tugged at the line of webbing. The spider let out a grating sound that might have been a yelp as it was pulled off its feet towards me. I whipped the line around to send the creature flying straight at the Spider Empress. It shattered on impact, shards of stone spraying in every direction.

"How dare you harm my servants!" seethed the arachnid, twin legs plunging down to try and pin Amaterasu to the ground. The sun goddess yowled in pain as their lethal points raked her side, leaving several bloody cuts the color of Ammy's markings. Cherry Bombs destroyed two of the remaining spiders, while the last one was nowhere in sight. Concerned about Ammy, I moved to check her wounds while trying to figure out where the last spider had spider had vanished to. _Where could it have gone --_

Kokari screamed, jarring my thoughts, and I turned to see the last of the statues raise a leg to stomp on him. _That's where it went?! _A timely brush stroke and yank on the webbing that formed pulled the spider away from the boy and his dog -- and over to me. One swing from Ticking Death rent the creature in two. With the last of its servants dead, the Spider Empress mashed its fangs together in frustration.

"I would never have thought that I would have to stoop to venom," she seethed, dredging up a cocoon from beneath her body. Power Slashes bounced off the the hard shell as the Empress tossed it toward the wolf goddess. _Amaterasu!_ Without thinking, I shoved her out of the way, creating a strand of web to hurl the cocoon back at the Empress. It splattered over the monarch's face, the toxic fumes and substance causing her to sway and drop onto the ground, unconscious.

"There's our chance, Ammy! Look!"

I blinked, staring at the Poncle perched on Amaterasu's nose. _What is he talking about?_

"Those hooks, furball! Ya can use vines on 'em!" continued Issun excitedly as the wolf chomped down on a strange, golden bone. The bone disintegrated, becoming sparks of light that gently sank into her wounds. At once, the cuts began vanish, flesh and fur literally knitting themselves back together. I stared at her side, stunned. It was as if she'd never been hurt. _Whoa_. I blinked. _Um, what was Issun talking about again? _My eyes darted from Ammy to the Spider Empress. There _were_ hooks at the back of the spider's body; once hidden by her immense body, they were now far too obvious to be missed. The pink flowers that circled the edges of the room came to life, glowing with a soft, golden light. Vines burst from the ends of the flowers, wrapping themselves around the hooks at Amaterasu's command, and with one mighty tug peeled back the layers of flesh to reveal a single glowing eye. Before I could even move the wolf goddess was beside the eye, striking it relentlessly with her reflector. Blocking out the high-pitched screams that came from the Spider Empress' maw, I joined in, striking at the eye time and again with my scythe. At last, the eye deflated, sliced and bashed in nearly a thousand places.

The Spider Empress let out a groan and ceased to move, the tiny spiders that inhabited the skulls on her legs fleeing their homes. Flowers exploded from the eye's resting place, racing over the floor to turn the chamber into a vibrant grove. The Empress' body faded away, flesh rapidly being replaced by a large, beautiful flower, while a spiked, golden reflector resembling a wheel emerged from the carcass and settled on Amaterasu's back. Divine Retribution vanished, replaced by the Snarling Beast. The flower's sweet-smelling aroma filled the air as Amaterasu and I made our way back to Kokari, who was jumping up and down joyfully.

"Wow! That was some adventure! Right, Ume?" chirped the boy. Ume barked in agreement. "Seeing that gigantic spider... and those small doggies beating it..."

_... Excuse me? I'm _not_ small!_ I thought indignantly._ Issun's small!_

"Well, it makes me think that I can be the man that my dad wants me to be!" Kokari puffed his chest outwards in a display of manliness.

"Hey, kid... are you Kokari?" asked Issun when the forest boy took a step toward the door. He turned back to look at us.

"... Yeah. How'd you know?" Kokari said.

"Lucky guess. Your dad's lookin' for ya, you know," said the artist.

"Uh-oh." Ume and Kokari exchanged glances. "Well, that settles it! Ume, we're gonna fix that bridge!" declared the boy. "That way, we won't get in trouble when we go see Dad! Thanks again, doggies!"

Kokari waved at us once more before dashing out of the ruins. Ume nodded at us as a sign of respect and thanks, and raced after his master.

"That kid's enthusiastic," remarked the Poncle. "I bet he'd be good at fishing..." Issun cleared his throat. "Anyway, we should get goin'... but first... How about a good victory howl?"

I looked over at Ammy, who nodded. _I think we deserve one._

"Whaddaya say, furballs?" said Issun, unsheathing Denkomaru.

In answer, the two of us threw our heads back and let out long, joyous howls. Cherry blossom petals rained down on us from above, while the warmth of the sun caressed our forms. A feeling of tranquility settled over me as the final echoes of our howls died away. The peace that came with victory filled my soul, leaving me content and hopeful. Maybe I could keep fighting alongside Ammy without becoming a liability; only time could tell. Issun dove back into the goddess' fur, and with a last look at the grove, we turned and left the ruins.

---------------------

I fidgeted, trying to keep my eyes closed, when the faintest of padding noises caught my attention. Night had fallen, and so we'd camped outside the ruins, preferring to continue toward Taka Pass in the morning. Cursing my keen hearing, I opened one eye to see Amaterasu walking into the forest. _Huh... where's she going?_ I looked over at the faint green glow that was Issun. The Poncle was sound asleep; the heaviest of sleepers, he wouldn't wake unless tossed lightly into the air. _He won't miss us. I doubt we'll be gone long anyway... _I got up, following silently after the sun goddess. She walked into Agata Forest, taking a seat by the water's edge.

"Amaterasu," came Waka's voice, drawing my attention to the treetops. He hopped down from one low bough, landing beside her without a sound. I stiffened and hid myself behind a nearby tree._ Since when does French guy hang around us?_

_**Ushiwaka... has it truly been 100 years?**_sounded a melodious voice within my mind. The words were so radiant, so beautiful, that I could not help but drop my jaw in awe. Heart racing, I risked a peek at the clearing. There was no one else there besides the prophet and the wolf goddess, which meant one thing.

_Amaterasu... can _talk_?! But why hasn't she said anything until now? And why can I hear her if she's talking to Waka?_

"Ah, ma cherie, indeed it has," replied the Tao Master. I slipped behind the tree again; being caught eavesdropping was the last thing I needed to happen.

_**What has changed in my absence?**_ she asked. More than anything else, I found myself listening to Amaterasu speak. There was a regal quality about her words that I'd never heard from anyone else before.

"The people's faith in you has waned since that battle 100 years ago... the legend of Nagi and Shiranui is now just that: a legend."

_**Not much has changed, then. Have they ever believed differently?**_

Waka couldn't help but laugh. "C'est vrai. You have me there, Amaterasu." His tone grew serious. "I watched your battle with the Spider Empress."

_**Not the most graceful of defeats, I admit...**_ said Amaterasu sheepishly.

"Shinryu seemed worried about you."

At the mention of my name, my ears perked, and I risked a look at the scene that was playing out in the clearing. The Tao Master sat next to the sun goddess, observing the night sky with a curious expression fixed on his face. His strange hat lay on the ground beside him, exposing his long blond hair.

_**And I for him**_, she replied.

"Why?"

I ducked out of sight once more as he turned to look at her.

_**His skill with the Abyssal Brush, and mine with the Celestial Brush, have yet to be recovered. I cannot protect him completely. **_

_You don't have to_, I thought, much to my surprise. Since when had I had the courage to make such a bold claim? Amaterasu was right; I was still woefully inept at fighting and wielding the brush, but I had made some improvements. I turned my attention back to their conversation when Waka spoke.

"Is that all?" he probed, a slight tremor in his voice.

_He's nervous_, I realized. _But why?_ The sun goddess' next words answered my unspoken question.

_**... No. I fear... I fear that I may be falling for him, Ushiwaka**_, said Amaterasu softly. My jaw dropped in shock as I slowly sank back onto my haunches, a witness to words that I shouldn't have heard. Amaterasu. In love. With me. My brain tried to process the words, but fell short of understanding just what they meant. It just wasn't possible. She had to be mistaken. And even if she wasn't, what was I supposed to do?_ It's not like I feel the same way about her..._ I shook my head and turned my attention back to the conversation; I could think about this later. Waka still hadn't said a word after Amaterasu's confession.

_**You do not approve**_, murmured the goddess at last. It was a statement, not a question.

"... No."

_**Then it is good that I rely on my own judgments**_, she huffed loftily, and let out a wolfish giggle to show that she was joking. I could hear Waka weakly chuckle in response.

"Your judgments are always sound, ma cherie. If it is Shinryu you seek... then I will stand aside." The Tao Master paused. "Pardonez-moi for asking, Amaterasu, but..."

_**You have always been a faithful friend, Ushiwaka, and our relationship has been sound. I would ask for nothing less and nothing more**_.

"C'est extraodinaire, how you do that," said Waka with a shake of his head. "Mais... tres bien. I will follow you to the heavens if need be."

There was a mischievous gleam in Ammy's eye. _**I'll hold you to that, you know.**_

"Oui; I expect you to. But now I must be going, ma cherie."

I peeked out of my hiding place to see Waka stand up, placing his hat atop his his head in a single, graceful motion. "When we next meet, I'll be acting for the benefit of your little bouncing friend. He is quite energetic, no?"

_**Indeed he is,**_ agreed the wolf. She turned back toward the stars. _**Go if you must, but I think I shall remain here a bit longer. **_

"Amaterasu," said Waka, and hesitated. "Don't let your thoughts dwell too much on Takamanohara."

_**I cannot help that**_, she replied sadly. _**It is my home, Ushiwaka, and I worry for those Celestials who wait for my return... but I will try to think of other things. **_ _**Go now, and let the light of the sun protect you in your endeavors**_

"Au revoir, ma cherie..." he murmured, and left the clearing, following for the dirt road that led to Taka Pass. I sat behind the tree, trying to sort out what I'd heard. First and foremost, Amaterasu was probably falling in love with me. It was absolutely absurd, but she'd said it in such a way that I couldn't help but believe her words. I began to reminisce, looking back over the time I'd spent with her. There had been_ something_ there, now that I thought about it -- a familiarness that spoke to some part of me buried deep inside my mind. Was it love? I shook my head. Probably not. I didn't love Amaterasu, but there was a spark between us that might ignite if I decided to look at it. I sighed, completely overwhelmed. _This is just too much. I'm not going to sit around and think this out; whatever happens, happens_.

Now that that had been decided, I moved on to the second problem: Waka seemed to hold some affection for Amaterasu. I actually felt sorry for him; I didn't doubt that if I hadn't been thrown into Nippon, the sun goddess would be lavishing her attention on him. Instead, he'd been relegated to the role of close friend. _Well, there's nothing I can do there. Moving on... _I looked out at Ammy, not even bothering to hide myself this time. The goddess was still gazing forlornly at the stars, her thoughts on Takamanohara. I felt a slight pang in my heart as I watched her. Now, more than ever, she needed someone to be by her side. Not to talk with, but to just be there, silently giving support. Since Waka had left and Issun was sleeping, the only one who could do that was me. _I don't want her to think that I might have feelings for her, but I can't just leave her there... _I thought, and slowly walked over to her, making sure my footsteps could be heard. Amaterasu tore her gaze from the stars to watch me as I sat down next to her, curiosity reflected in her eyes. Idly, I wondered why she didn't just ask me what I was doing here. I did my best to shrug, which was undeniably hard to do as a wolf, and focused on the stars. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her silently turn to do the same. A few minutes later, something warm and soft brushed against my tail. I glanced back to see Ammy's tail twined around my own. A smile began to play at the corners of her muzzle, but she continued to look up at the sky. I pretended not to notice and kept my eyes on the night sky. _Well... as long as it makes her somewhat happy... then I won't move my tail_. And so we remained like that, quietly observing the stars into the early hours of the morn.

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**A/N: **Reply to review time! 

CerberusFang93: Very nice guess on the pairing. It's still up in the air right now, though.

ssbb: You've pointed out the one problem I have with fanfiction. Fanfiction is literally stories by the fans, for the fans.People have no clue who the characters or plot are if they've never played the game or read the book. _Antithesis_ is currently following the game's main plot, but with some differences, so hopefully you won't be too lost. The characters' personalities should start becoming evident soon enough. Thanks for the great review!

Shattered Farewell: I think I replied to yours a while back, but I'm glad you're liking the story so far! And Shinryu's brush techniques, while lacking in number, still equal Amaterasu's in usefulness and ability.

voodoocoffee: From your last review... well, you'll find out soon enough.

Sayuri, bleachrules and swack16: Thanks, I'm glad you're all enjoying the story so far!


	7. Carnival

**A/N: **I finally found the time to finish this chapter! For some reason, I had major writer's block for nearly all of my stories... Sorry for not updating so long, but here's Chapter 7! Oh, and for some reason, I can't get more than 2 hypens in a row, so scene changes are designated by two hypens alone on a line.

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**Antithesis**

**Chapter 7: Carnival**

I sighed and slumped in my chair. I was, once again, back on Earth, with absolutely no clue of what had been going on in the past 24 hours. It had been two weeks since that night in the forest, and I was fairly sure Amaterasu and I had managed to help every person and feed every animal in the vicinity of Taka Pass two times over. Despite my best attempts to get her to go toward the path that led to Kusa Village, she'd merely shaken her head and helped another person in need. It was both charming and annoying to see her selflessness at work. When Issun had voiced his displeasure with her "acts of charity," as he'd termed them, she'd given him a cold glare that had quickly shut the Poncle up. I stifled the urge to laugh as I thought back over the memory and tried to pay attention to the ramblings of my Physics teacher. Try as I might, it was incredibly difficult to concentrate; my thoughts kept drifting back to Nippon and the white wolf that guarded it from the dangers that threatened to destroy it. I was dragged out of my thought when a small wad of paper landed on my desk. I blinked and looked around for the person who'd thrown it. Two desks away, Anna nodded at me and mouthed 'open it.' Shrugging, I smoothed it out.

'Hey! Are you ready for tonight?' was scribbled in near-perfect, bubbly handwriting at the top of the page. I stared at the words, trying to make sense of them.

'What's going on tonight?' I wrote back, and waited until the teacher's back was turned before lobbing the note back to her. She opened it and turned to me, an exasperated expression flitting across her face as she wrote back. I gulped.

_Something tells me I'm not going to like what she's about to say... _I thought, and caught the note in mid-air. I could hear her annoyed voice in my head as I read what she'd written.

'The carnival, of course! We're still on for tonight, right?'

I did my best not to look shocked. _What the hell am I thinking when I'm in Nippon?! I _hate_ carnivals!_ I fumed. I picked up my pencil, fully intending to write 'NO' in very large letters, when I glanced at Anna. She was watching me, a hopeful expression etched on her face. I looked down at the paper and sighed. Granted, I hadn't been _sane_ when I'd given her an answer, but I'd already said yes. I couldn't just say no now, especially when the carnival -- I shuddered at the word -- was tonight. _Amaterasu's personality must be rubbing off on me or something..._ I thought, and shook my head, writing 'Yeah' with several exclamation points after it. I tossed it back, doing my best to keep my gaze on the blackboard and ignore Anna's smile as she read my response. Not that it did any good; I could literally _feel _the waves of happiness radiating from her. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her tuck the note away in her binder. _What in the world...?!_ I stared at the cover in disbelief. There, in the top right corner next to the other squiggly doodles that covered it, were the words 'Will + Anna forever' with a heart around them.

Inwardly, I groaned. _What have I gotten myself into?_

--

Several hours later, I arrived home. Slinging my backpack into the dining room, I trudged upstairs and threw myself onto my bed. _Why do these things happen to me? _I wondered, staring up at the ceiling. Amaterasu was apparently falling for me in Nippon, and now I had Anna mooning over me here on Earth as well. Worst of all, I was going to a carnival later tonight. I winced at the word. There were clowns -- not the nice kind, but the crazy, overly-happy-but-still-really-scary type -- at carnivals. There were pointless games at carnivals. There were fake fortune tellers at carnivals. And there were ridiculously happy couples who wandered the grounds_ at the carnival_. "How did I get myself into this mess, anyway?" I wondered aloud, and sat up, trying to answer that question. My body still functioned while I was away in Nippon; somehow, I carried on as though everything were normal. I took tests, did homework, and arranged dates with girls. "That shouldn't be physically possible," I muttered, turning on my computer. _Then again, a lot of the stuff that's happened to me shouldn't be possible. _A couple of clicks and keystrokes later, I was on the Internet, searching for anything that sounded remotely like what I was going through. 'Out of body experience' brought up sites full of crazy people raving about their "trips" to the "afterlife," while 'real life dreams' gave me a few fanfiction links and even more sites made by people who were clearly insane. _Maybe_ I'm _insane_, I thought, leaning back in my chair. _It's easier to accept that than look for a theory that makes sense_.

The annoying beep that signaled a phone call screeched in my ears. "Hello?" I answered, wondering who it was.

"Richard?" came a high voice from the other end of the line.

"Excuse me?" I asked, wondering if I'd misunderstood the name.

"Richard?"

Nope, I hadn't heard her wrong. "No, no. There's no Richard here. You probably dialed the wrong number."

"I'm sure I dialed the right number," said the woman, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, there's no Richard here."

"I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood." Suddenly her tone was apologetic. "I'm a bit tipsy."

That explained a lot.

"I'll try the number again."

"Ooookay. You do that," I replied, and hung up the phone, turning back to the computer to resume my search. A minute later, the phone rang again. With a sigh, I answered it, hoping it wasn't the woman again.

"Hello?"

"Is Richard there?"

_Of all the... seriously, lady, you can't dial a number right, can you? _I thought, irritated. "No. You dialed the same number twice," I said stiffly, hoping that she would catch onto the fact that she had the wrong number and hang up soon.

"Is this 546-1301?" she continued, oblivious to my response.

"No, this is 546-1031." I shook my head. She was definitely dialing the wrong number.

"Oh, that's what I meant."

I groaned. This lady was starting to get on my nerves. "So you're positive it's 1031?"

"Yes." She paused, and when she spoke again, her tone was accusatory. "You must have stolen my Richard's cell phone."

_What is _wrong_ with this woman? _I grit my teeth to keep from shouting how ridiculous the claim was at her. "No. I've had this number for three years now."

There was silence at the end of the line. Then: "Well, I need to get to Richard. He's my lover and he stole 174 worth of beer -"

_What the hell?!_

"- and I'm getting sick of it."

I let out a silent string of curses. I did _not_ want to hear about a crazy drunk woman's problems and love life. I glanced at the clock. 5:45 P.M.; too early for the 'I'm trying to get some sleep' excuse, but then again, the lady was drunk. "Look, lady, I'm trying to get some sleep. It's... 11:55 and -"

"You're not going to sleep until we find Richard," she interrupted.

"Oh. My. GOD..." I groaned, and sat down on the bed.

"Did you just take the Lord's name in vain?" The woman sounded angry now, and there was the tinkling of glass in the background.

"No," I said quickly, hoping fervently that she'd believe me.

"Hmph. I'm going to hang up and try again, and if I don't reach him, _we'll_ have a problem."

The line went dead, and I dropped the phone, breathing a sigh of relief. With any luck, she wouldn't call again. I had barely turned back to the computer when the blaring noise of the phone filled my ears for the third time today. Snatching the phone from its resting place, I mashed the answer button and roared into the mouthpiece, "All right, look, lady, I don't know where Richard is, and you've been dialing the wrong number this whole time, so -"

"... Will? It's me, Anna."

"Oh." I mentally kicked myself for not checking who it was first. "What's up?"

"Did you forget? The carnival starts in ten minutes, and I'm kind of waiting here at the gate..."

I sighed. "I'll be right there." I hung up and quickly changed clothes, trying to convince myself that maybe the carnival wouldn't be as bad as I thought it would be.

_After all, it's a carnival... just how bad can it be?_

--

I had been wrong. It wasn't bad; it was _terrible_. Merry-go-rounds, clowns, lovesick couples, kids screaming in delight, balloons, stuffed animals, odd games, and many more of the reasons I disliked carnivals so much had all been combined into a single, terrible fairground. We'd wandered the grounds at first, taking in the sights, until at last Anna had innocently asked me to win a teddy bear for her at the archery stall. That had been the start of it; after I'd handed her the prize, she'd smiled and had me try my hand at horseshoes, then bumper cars, then every single possible ride or game she could see. And now, two hours later, she was trying to persuade me to ride the ferris wheel with her.

"Come on, Will! It'll be fun!" Anna hopped up and down next to me, her prizes jingling in the bag she had brought just for the occasion.

"No." There was no way I was ever getting near a ferris wheel, let alone ride in one with her.

"Killjoy," she muttered, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not exactly fond of carnivals, you know."

She turned to me, confusion swirling in her eyes. "Then why did you ask me to come here with you?"

"Um... I thought it would make you happy," I offered, wondering for the second time today just how crazy I was when I wasn't present in my body.

"Really?" She seemed slightly mollified. "Well, I guess I can forgive you for ruining the fun... this time." She flashed a smile at me. "Do you mind staying here for a minute? I actually want to ride it myself, so..."

"Yeah, sure." I took a seat on a nearby bench as she skipped off toward the ferris wheel and the long line leading to it. I had only been resting for a minute when one gnarled hand placed itself on my shoulder. I blinked and turned to see an old woman, her white hair obscuring most of her face. She wore a simple white kimono held together by a red sash, while a light yellow band encircled her head.

"Do I know you?" I asked. The old lady shook her head and beckoned with her hand once more.

"Come along, Shinryu of Nippon. We have much to discuss," she said, her voice soft and commanding. I froze, my eyes widening at her words.

"How do you know...?"

The lady grinned, her eyes still obscured by her gray hair. "I know many things, consort of Amaterasu. As a fortune teller, it is my job to know."

"Fortune teller?" I opened my mouth to say that fortune tellers were fake, only to close it once more. She knew that I was Shinryu in Nippon, and that was something that no one would ever be able to guess. I sighed. "All right. I'm listening."

She shook her head. "Not here. Follow me," she instructed, and vanished into a nearby tent. I looked around for Anna, but she was riding the ferris wheel. _I don't think she'll miss me if I'm gone for a few minutes..._ I pushed open the flap of the tent and walked inside. The tent was dimly lit, two candles sitting atop a small, circular table that was planted firmly in the center. Seat cushions were arranged neatly in front of the table, while a string of beads lay across the table. Mounted on the far wall was a cracked, dark green mirror, and beneath it was a large, rusted sword, its saffron blade partially obscured by shadows. Ignoring the odd decorations, I sat down on an empty cushion as the fortune teller took her place on the opposite side. To my surprise, she moved with a grace of a lithe animal, not with the awkwardness of an old lady. _She's not any ordinary old woman, is she? _I thought, and watched her carefully. Nothing else she did seemed out of the ordinary except the fact that she kept her eyes hidden behind her hair.

"Who are you and how do you know who I am?" I demanded, shifting slightly in my seat. There was something strangely familiar about this woman, but I couldn't quite place it.

Her eyes remained out of view as she answered, "We have met before, in a different time and place. As for my name..." She fell silent for a moment. "You may call me... Amelia," she said at last, a touch of amusement in her voice.

"Do you mind being a little more specific?" I wracked my mind for any memory of Amelia. Nothing stood out; if I had met her at any point, I would have remembered her.

"That is not important," she replied with a wave of one hand. "I have seen your future, Shinryu -"

"Call me Will," I interrupted. "I don't go by Shinryu. Everyone who calls me that usually wants to kill me anyway," I added, wondering why I'd even bothered to mention that fact. There was something about Amelia that put me at ease despite the fact that I was sure I'd never met her before.

"... Very well. I have seen your future, Will... do you wonder why you cannot communicate with the origin of all that is good, or why you flit between the worlds as freely as the wind?"

I gaped in awe. _She's really good at this_. "Do you have an answer for either of those questions?"

"The answer to both is one and the same," she said, and stopped as an old man, clothed in a simple black robe edged with blue, wandered into the tent. He looked at me, an unreadable expression in his eyes, before looking at Amelia. "I'll wait outside, love," he said, his voice uncannily strong for his old age, and slipped outside with the agility of a cat. _What is it with these old people? _I thought, unnerved. _Neither of them have any trouble moving like they should. _I shoved the thought to the back of my mind and turned my attention back to the fortune teller.

"As I was saying... your soul has been torn into two; one remains in your body, while the other rests in that of Shinryu's. Without a full spirit, you cannot truly converse with Amaterasu, only hear her words when in Nippon." Amelia folded her hands in her lap as she waited for my response.

I stared at her in disbelief. "You don't actually expect me to _believe_ that, do you?" It sounded absolutely insane. Then again, insane seemed to be a running theme of my life now. _It would explain why I can still function when my consciousness is gone, and why I'm not grounded to either world... _

"Of course. It is the truth," replied Amelia, unshakable certainty radiating out of her words. I closed my eyes, wondering if I was crazy for even allowing myself to think about this.

"So _if _you are right," I said, stressing the 'if' as much as possible, "what does this have to do with my future?"

"You will face a choice in the future that will decide where your soul will reside: here, or in Nippon."

"That's very vague," I began, only to have her cut me off.

"Do not ask me when it will come; you will recognize it when it is presented to you." Amelia smiled, but kept her eyes averted. _What is it with her? _I wondered. _Why won't she look at me?_

I grit my teeth. "So you won't be, I don't know, specific?"

She shook her head. "It pains me to say that I cannot."

Sensing that this was all I was going to get out of her, I stood up. "Thanks for the advice, Amelia, but there's someone who's probably looking for me right now, and I have to go find her."

At the mention of the word 'her,' Amelia's head snapped up, and for the briefest instant our gazes met. I blinked rapidly and shook my head, trying to remove the image I'd seen from my mind. Her eyes had looked amber, but it had probably been a trick of the dim lighting. What had been more disturbing was the multitude of emotions I had seen in them. Anger, hurt, kindness, understanding, and... love?

"Um, bye," I squeaked, and walked quickly out of the tent, breaking into a run as soon as the flap had closed back over the tent. Finding Anna was easier than I thought it would be; she was busy scribbling something on a piece of paper only a few yards from the ferris wheel.

"Hey!" she greeted, seeing me approach. "Where have you been? When I got off, you weren't around." Not waiting for an answer, she went on. "If you remember, Kaufman gave the option of extra credit if we found out a few things about the carnival. Oh, and here." She handed another sheet of paper to me, already filled with writing. "I did you a favor and made you a copy."

"Um, thanks," I said, my mind still on Amelia.

"So, where did you go while I was having fun?" She grinned. "And have you changed your mind about carnivals?"

_It's better to tell her the truth; I'm not exactly the best at lying, anyway._ "Not really... I went to a fortune teller," I replied.

Anna pouted. "Will, you're impossible. So..." Her face inexplicably brightened, and I wondered briefly if she was bipolar. "What was the name of this fortune teller? Whoever it is, he's probably fake."

"Amelia."

"Amelia?" repeated Anna, pronouncing her name wrong.

"No, no. Am-me-lia, not Ah-me-lia," I corrected, and in that instant something within my mind clicked. Am-me-lia. Ammy._ Amaterasu_. That fortune teller had been the sun goddess herself in the tent, under a different guise; her faithful Divine Instruments had taken on different forms as well. Amber eyes, white kimono and red markings, the grace with which she had moved; how I had missed the signs was beyond me. I stared at the empty stall in front of me as my brain struggled to process the information. How was it even possible for Amaterasu to be here, on Earth? How had she known what I looked like and known that I was having trouble talking to her in Nippon? My mind wandered back to the old man who had entered the tent. Who had he been? He had spoken to Amaterasu with such love and affection in his voice and looked at me as though he'd seen a ghost. I was barely aware of Anna prattling on about something, but I continued to think, keeping the image of Amaterasu and the man in my mind. Amaterasu had been wearing a plain white kimono with a red sash, while the man had been wearing a black robe edged with blue...

I froze. Had the old man... been me? "That's impossible," I whispered. Saying the words seemed to make them more real, more definite. I couldn't be in two places at once; the old man had definitely not been me. I looked over at Anna, pushing my thoughts to the back of my mind. _I can think about this later_.

"... so let's go! I got all my answers," she chirped, happily tucking her pencil into her purse and waving her paper in front of my face, "and you've got yours."

"Uh... sure."

I had gotten some answers, but for some reason, as we exited the carnival, it felt as if I'd only gained more questions.

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**A/N:** The phone conversation with the woman is actually based off of a true story... anyway, there's a little button down there that demands that you review. Make it happy!


	8. Aishiteru

**A/N: . Sorry! It's summer, and I should be updating every few weeks, but between Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2, The World Ends With You, and real life, time is scarce. I did finally write this chapter... sorry to keep you guys waiting! As always, thanks for all the reviews!**

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**Antithesis**

**Chapter 8: Aishiteru**

_Finally! _Amaterasu, seeing no other animals to feed or travelers to help, had begun to head toward the stairs leading to Kusa Village. I followed her, matching her blazing pace with little effort. I sighed and added another question to my already large, unanswered list of questions: why could I keep up with her speed if she was a goddess and I was just a mortal wolf? I hadn't even noticed just how fast we could run until one of the merchants referred to us as the "Blurs of Taka Pass." Our speed had seemed so normal that between the enemies that were out to murder me and the questions that were forever swirling in my head, I had never given it a second thought. I looked up as the last of the steps vanished from underneath my paws. Kusa Village lay just beyond the short trail, trapped underneath the influence of Crimson Helm. Already, I could feel the faint wisps of cursed air blowing past me, sending shivers down my spine. I sighed and looked over at Amaterasu, only to freeze in shock. Her divine markings, once a bright crimson, had turned dull; some of them had faded away completely. Her Divine Instrument began to flicker in and out of existence, while her tail began to look more and more like that of a regular wolf's. _What's happening to her?!_ I blinked. _And more importantly, why hasn't this happened to me...?_ I felt fine; nothing about me had changed as we neared the village.The goddess returned my stunned gaze with a regretful look of her own.

_**Shinryu. **_She spoke my name with something akin to respect and adoration. _**I have my reasons for not speaking to you since we met, but I can't avoid it anymore. **_A breezy sigh echoed in my head as she slowed her pace. _**Something ahead is sapping my strength; you will have to fight alone if we encounter any demons. **_

_Great. Just great. So our next battle is probably going to be our last. _I scowled at the air. _Someone up there must really hate me..._ There was no possible way I could do this alone. I had honed my fighting skills throughout the days we spent in Taka Pass, but they were nowhere near what they needed to be if I had to face demons on my own. Seeing my expression, Amaterasu nudged me with her tail.

_**Don't look so hopeless; have some faith in yourself and your abilities, **_she advised.The barest hint of a smile appeared on her muzzle. _**If it helps, I believe you can do this.**_

_Yeah, but you're also falling in love with me,_ I grumbled. _That's got to be skewing your judgment... _

Despite my protests, her words gave me more comfort than I expected. I looked up the stairs, almost wishing that the passage had been blocked. As always, I didn't have a choice. If I backed out now, Kusa Village would remain cursed, and we wouldn't be able to defeat Orochi without the brush power that lay dormant in the Gale Shrine. Resigned to my fate, I trudged past Amaterasu and entered the village.

Kusa seemed to be in low spirits; despite the fact that no cursed zone had appeared, everyone seemed drained of energy. The houses sported large gashes, as though something had ripped through them with ease, while the merchant stalls bore what looked like claw marks. But what unnerved me most was the almost tangible blanket of despair that had enveloped the area. Animals wandered from aimlessly in the streets, their ears and heads drooping, while people struggled to do tasks that had once been considered easy. Even the plants seemed to feel the change; every plant I could see had wilted, their leaves crinkled and dry.

"Yikes! What's this creepy evil atmosphere in this village?" exclaimed Issun, hunkering down in Amaterasu's coat to avoid being swept off by the breeze.

_You can say that again... what gives? _I thought, shivering as a gust of wind passed us by. _It's like it's a ghost town or something... _A low whine escaped the goddess' lips as the last of her markings, along with her Divine Instrument, disappeared with a faint poof. A small tremor passed through her body before she collapsed onto her side, panting.

_Ammy?! _I rushed to her side, lying down to look into one amber eye. Issun wormed his way out of her fur to stand in front of the other eye.

"Furball?! What's goin' on?!" The Poncle's aura changed from its usual green to a concerned blue. "You okay?"

_**I cannot go any further... I'm sorry. **_She closed her eyes, her breath getting shallower with each moment. _**I think... I must rest...**_

_Come on, stay with me!_ I nudged her with my nose, trying to get her to stand. _Don't you dare go dying on me!_

"This doesn't look good, Shin," squeaked Issun, frantic with worry. "We've gotta find what's cursing this area, and fast - _HEY! _Where're ya goin'?!" shouted Issun as I took off down the street, clouds of dust billowing in my wake.

_Where do you think?!_ I wanted to scream. I was the only one with the strength to end Kusa's curse; if I didn't do something now, Amaterasu would die. She'd already been sent to the grave once by Orochi; there was no way I was going to allow her to die again.I raced up the path, heading for the area just before the Gale Shrine. Princess Fuse would be there; all I had to do was take out the demons that were possessing her, and the curse would lift. _Just hang in there, please...! _I rounded the bend to see Princess Fuse, her back to me as she muttered to herself.

"Oh, this is most unfortunate... I have been possessed in a momentary lapse in vigilance." Her ashen skin underscored her words.

I snarled, looking for the demon causing the trouble. _Damn it, where is it?!_

"And I was trying so hard to defend this village..." The princess continued on; apparently, she hadn't heard me. "Now it shall be reduced to a horrid cursed zone. Alas, my strength... it wanes...!"

_So does Amaterasu's! WHERE IS THAT DEMON?!_ I screamed within my mind. Every second that passed, the goddess came closer and closer to entering death's embrace a second time.

"All is lost..."

Before I could react, one gigantic claw smashed into me from behind and sent me flying into the side of the mountain. Ignoring the pain that swept through me like a raging deluge, I picked myself up and dashed at the monstrous demon that stood before Princess Fuse. It was unlike any of the other demons I'd seen before; row after row of black scales covered its body and limbs, protecting it from conventional weapons, while six horns sprouted from its head. Its massive arms swayed from side to side; from each hand extended six claws that created purple streaks that hissed and seethed wherever they touched. _This has to be the thing that made the marks on the houses and stalls... _I thought, and glanced at is eyes. Its venomous gaze swept across the area, looking for a target to destroy. And at the moment, that target seemed to be me.

_All right_, I growled, and sprang into the air to bring Ticking Death down onto its exposed head. _You're finished! _One mammoth hand swung up and batted it aside, its lethal claws missing my side by mere inches. I flipped away and landed on all fours, tail already lifted to wield the power of the Abyssal Brush. With a swipe my tail, the ground beneath the demon vanished, sending it crashing to its knees. Seizing my chance, I slammed into its chest, my scythe attempting to slice its way through layers of scales to the soft flesh underneath. Before it could strike at me, a strand of Silverwisp tugged me away to safety. I grit my teeth as I turned to face the demon again. Its scales seemed to be more than Ticking Death could handle. The scythe's slashes hadn't even made a dent in its scales, and without the Dark Instrument, I had no chance of killing the one who had set the curse upon Kusa. '_All is lost'_ began to echo in my mind, Princess Fuse's simple statement slowly but surely undermining my determination. With Amaterasu dead, Orochi couldn't be defeated; there was no chance of defeating Verel, no chance of getting home, no chance of restoring this world that had once been a game to me to its rightful state.

There would be no chance to ever truly know Amaterasu, to see her eyes alight with that happy-go-lucky spirit of hers again.

My head snapped up, all despairing thoughts vanishing in an instant. She had protected me up until now and had always found a way to cheer me up when I looked anything close to sad. _The very least I can do... is try and do the same for her._ Even if I couldn't take the demon down, I had to try. For her. I yelped as green fire poured from the cursed air around me and onto my scythe, mingling with the blue flames that danced around it.

_You who have sworn to protect those you care about... _spoke a light, airy voice in my mind._ I am the Dark Instrument Fleeting Spirit._

_Huh? What happened to Ticking Death?! _

_I am he, and yet I am not... he and I are one. _Fleeting Spirit sounded amused. _Do you understand?_

_I... think so._ I glared at the demon in front of me. _Does that mean that the two of you_ _can cut through that thing's scales?_

_Yes._

_Let's go, then!_

I charged the demon once more, the green flames hissing as I jumped into the air and pushed off the fist that tried to slam me back down to earth. With a swipe of my tail, a strand of Silverwisp sent me hurtling towards the demon, scythe at the ready. The monster's roar was abruptly cut short as I sliced clean through its neck. It fell to the ground, its body disintegrating in the harsh winds that swept over the village. I glanced over at Princess Fuse. While she had fallen unconscious, her ashen skin had regained its normal, healthy color. _That means the curse should be lifted!_ I bounded back down the path, only to stop in my tracks at the sight before me. Amaterasu's form was completely still; not even her tail, which swished from side to side in her sleep, moved. Issun stood a few feet from her, his aura a pale yellow.

_Ammy? Ammy?! _I scrambled to her side and nudged her with my nose. A pitiful whine escaped my throat. _Please don't tell me I was too late...! _

"Sorry, furball," Issun mumbled, his voice cracking. "I heard her heart stop beating a few minutes ago..."

I took one step back, shaking my head slowly. Amaterasu couldn't have died. I refused to believe it.

"Ya did your best..." Issun trailed off, and I could tell he was trying not to cry. Something inside me seemed to shatter, a feeling I couldn't quite place seeping into my soul. I whimpered as pain, unfettered and raw, pierced deep inside my chest. I wanted to cry, to scream, to curse the world for letting her go this way. Unable to do any of those things, I howled. A long, sorrowful howl, filled with anguish and grief.

Then... a miracle. A swirling, pulsating light of orange and green spiraled from the heavens to settle gently on Amaterasu's back. With a flash, the Divine Instrument reappeared along with her crimson markings. My heart skipped a beat when her tail twitched and her eyes opened, revealing those beautiful amber pools.

_**Shinryu? **_The sun goddess sounded genuinely surprised. _**Why are you looking at me like that?**_

"AMMY!" Issun gleefully bounced onto her muzzle. "You're alive!"

I couldn't help but let out a howl of joy and run in circles around her, tail wagging ecstatically.

_**... Was I really that close to death? **_she asked, and I nodded.

_**In that case, I believe some thanks are in order. **_She got up, a mischievous glint in her eyes. _**Normally, a kiss would work, but given that we're wolves...**_

I gulped. _What exactly does she have in mind? _I wondered, when she took a step forward and gently licked the side of my face.

_**I think that will have to do instead. Thank you, Shinryu.**_

Suddenly I was grateful for the fact that my fur was black; it hid the blush that was creeping its way onto my face.

"Okay... uh, furballs?" Issun's aura had turned a bright pink. "Can we move on?"

I suppressed a laugh. Issun, despite all his questionable comments on women, was embarrassed at the first display of affection._ Sure. _I took the lead for once, guiding the two of them up the path to where Princess Fuse was just getting up.

"Hm!?" Princess Fuse, restored to her senses, turned around to spot us waiting behind her. "Have I been freed from the evil curse?" she wondered aloud. She squinted at us, searching for something. At last, she nodded. "You have saved me, but I do not know how."

_I do... and it certainly wasn't easy._

"What the heck happened, sweetness?"

I rolled my eyes. Now that Ammy was okay, Issun was back to being his usual self.

"Oh... Are you familiar with my family, the Satomi House?"

Amaterasu and I shook our heads.

"No... I can see now that you are not. Still, you may be of great service to me yet. Will you not listen to what I have to say?"

"You just keep talkin', pretty lady. Issun's listening!"

_Womanizer. Why do I have a feeling you're looking more than listening?_

_**Shinryu... do you ever get the feeling that Issun looks more often than he listens? **_I let out a quiet chuckle; apparently Amaterasu agreed with me. I gave her a slight nod and turned to listen to the princess.

"Oh, thank you! I am Princess Fuse, priestess of the Gale Shrine. The Gale Shrine stands atop Mount Kamiji. Kazegami, the god of wind, is enshrined there."

_**Kaze? He sleeps here?**_

Oblivious to Amaterasu's comment, the princess went on. "The wind blowing down from there keeps the monsters away. Known as the Divine Wind, it is venerated as our protector." She sighed. "However, it suddenly stopped blowing one day... and that has allowed the monsters to sneak into our village. Even I, the last remaining priestess here, was nearly slain. That horrible monster is behind all of this!"

_Whoa, time out. I thought I killed the monster that caused the curse?_

"Will you hear the rest of my story?" All three of us nodded. With a grateful smile, Princess Fuse continued her story. "There is only one explanation for why the Divine Wind stopped. It is that horrible monster, Crimson Helm! The beast now dwells within the Gale Shrine. The monsters in this area have all been under Crimson Helm's control ever since he appeared in Taka Pass 100 years ago."

_Odd..._ Amaterasu, as Shiranui, had died 100 years ago. Had her power been the only thing keeping the major demons from stepping out of the shadows to do with Nippon as they pleased?

"My people, the Satomi House, keepers of the Gale Shrine, have been battling the beast and his minions ever since... but last year, the fiends attacked and killed the head priest while he was weakened by sickness, and the Gale Shrine fell into their hands."

"I remember hearing that story," Issun piped up. "It was big news in these parts."

One of her hands balled into a fist, the frustration on her face apparent. "If only I could vanquish Crimson Helm and free the Gale Shrine... but I am no match for the evil barrier that now bars entry. There is only one hope now."

_Us?_

"Only the warriors who serve the Satomi House can right this wrong!"

_Oh. _I blinked, slightly disappointed that she hadn't called upon us; helping people out of dire situations had become routine for me over the past few weeks. _Ah well... just tell us where the unlucky warriors are and I guess we can convince them to come back here... though why any samurai would willingly want to come back to defeat a monster is beyond me._

"Our last remaining hope for defeating Crimson Helm is... the Satomi Canine Warriors!"

I stared at her in disbelief. _Please tell me you're joking. Dogs?! You depend on dogs to save you?!_

_**Ah... the Canine Warriors still exist, then.**_

I turned to look at the sun goddess. _How does she know about them?_

_**A century ago they vigilantly guarded Kusa; I never had to worry whether a stray demon would make it past them,**_ explained Amaterasu when she saw my confusion.

"The Satomi Canine Warriors have protected the shrine and served the Satomi House for ages, but alas... they are now scattered throughout Nippon. If we could bring them together again, they could break the barrier and retake the shrine."

"Really?! Then why don't ya just summon those puppies on back?" asked Issun.

_You know, Issun, that's the first decent idea I've heard out of you in a while._

"I have already tried," replied the princess with a shake of her head. "But I have yet to receive any word of their coming. I sense their presence nearby, but have yet to find them. What if they were attacked and injured, or even worse...?" she trailed off, the thought clearly frightening her. "I beg you, would you please sniff out their whereabouts? You might find this useful..." She reached into her kimono and pulled out a small slip of paper attached to a bell. Kanji markings covered both sides of the paper, while what I guessed was the seal of Satomi House was engraved on the bell. She handed it to the sun goddess, who tucked it under the rosary she carried.

"Leave it to us, sweetness! We'll get 'em all back without a scratch!" promised the artist. I rolled my eyes but said nothing as I followed Amaterasu away from the princess.

"Can't wait to see how she thanks us, furballs! Heh heh heh..." said the Poncle once we were out of earshot. Issun continued talking about one thing or another as we searched the village for the Canine Warriors, but as time went on, my thoughts went back to Amaterasu.

What did she mean to me, exactly? She was a goddess who never seemed to run out of forgiveness or kindness. She was a friend, a companion. We fought together, traveled together, laughed together, slept underneath the same stars.

Did I care about her? Of course I did; it was almost impossible not to. She was Ammy, the "lovable furball," as Issun put it. Amaterasu grew on you. The longer you knew her, the more you liked and cared for her.

Did I love her? This was where the trouble began. I wasn't exactly sure where I stood. I knew she loved me in some way, and before today, I'd believed I thought of her as a friend and nothing more. But as I thought back over the way I'd reacted when she'd fallen and how determined I'd been to save her... I realized that just wasn't true anymore. Fighting for her, seeing her motionless form on the ground, and thinking she was dead had irrevocably changed me as much as time had. Things could never be the same between us now. _Did I love her?_ The question repeated itself in my mind, and this time, I had an answer.

Yes. Yes, I did. I almost laughed at the irony of it all. Over the past two weeks, I'd tried to keep my distance from Amaterasu, hoping that maybe she would go after Waka instead. Whatever little progress I'd made had been undone in a single day. I was undeniably bound to her, as she was to me; there was a connection we shared that words couldn't express and didn't have to.

Ammy walked ahead, her light footfalls accompanied by the soft tinkling of the tracker hanging off her neck. As my mind struggled to find the simplest explanation of how I felt about her, I began to slow down. When she noticed my sluggish pace, she turned to me, concern reflected in her eyes.

_**Are you okay?**_

I couldn't help but smile at the sound of her golden voice. Now the words I wanted to say came easily, far too easily. Though she couldn't hear me, I let the words sound in my head.

_Aishiteru, Amaterasu._

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**A/N: **If you knew Japanese, you could already guess what was coming from the title of the chapter... There's a small button down there begging for attention... make it happy please!


	9. Storming the Gale Shrine

**A/N: **I'm back! And boy, is this chapter ridiculously long... I didn't think it would be THIS long. Since every single person I talked to couldn't beta the chapter, I'm not really sure how this compares to the other ones... Anyway, I've responded to most who reviewed, and to those I didn't...

Great Anonymous Reviewer: Ha, thanks! I'm looking forward to what you come up with for this chapter!

Steben, Mei Fire, and anonymous: Wow, thanks, guys! I'm honored you think this fanfic is that good! :D

And now, without further ado...

* * *

**Antithesis**

**Chapter 9: Storming the Gale Shrine**

I yawned and got up from the floor, tail wagging. We'd spent more than a week tracking down the Canine Warriors, the tracker leading us from one end of the Nippon we'd already explored to the other in search of the guardian dogs. True to the princess' word, five of them had remained in Kusa; the other three had departed for places unknown. Places that I had been sure I had memorized from the guide back on Earth, and had mysteriously gone missing once I'd woken up in Nippon. It was as if parts of my memory had vanished completely, and I wasn't sure why. _Maybe it has to do with this whole 'split soul' idea?_ I mused as we walked up the path to Kusa once more. _If part of my soul is on Earth, and the other part is here, then maybe my memory of what's happened to me on Earth has been glued to the other half of my soul. _I frowned. _Still, that didn't happen before... why is it happening now? _I mentally shrugged and concentrated on the task at hand. There was no point in thinking about it when it was clear that the answer would not reveal itself any time soon. Amaterasu had defeated the three Canine Warriors on her own, making sure that I was well out of the way before taking each of the dogs on in a fierce duel. The fact that she had intentionally kept me out of the fights had stung a little. Despite my subpar fighting skills and the fact that she could take care of herself, I had appointed myself as Amaterasu's guardian; of course, that decision didn't matter very much when the one I wanted to protect deliberately left me out of battles.

"Well, this is it, furballs; we're here," said Issun, looking at the small house nervously. "So, uh, what do we tell her?"

I blinked. _You mean you don't know what to say? Just tell the truth; she'll understand. _At least, I hoped she would.

_**The truth, Issun, **_sighed Amaterasu. _**Nothing less will do. **_

_I don't know why we bother replying, _I thought as we walked through the door. _It's not like he can hear us._

"Why, it's my favorite wolves and bug!" cried Princess Fuse, and rushed forward to greet us.

I snickered as Issun's aura turned bright red. _He'll never get over the bug comment, will he?_

"Enough with the bug thing already!" grumbled Issun. "I'm not that small!"

Princess Fuse just smiled and shook her head. "I must speak to you about the three remaining Canine Warriors..." She took a deep breath, all traces of joy scattered to the winds. "I am sensing something different about them. Do you bring no word of their condition or whereabouts?" She looked from Amaterasu to me intently, waiting for a reply. The sun goddess nodded and looked over at the Poncle perched on my snout, her eyes clearly asking him to explain.

Issun cleared his throat. " Eh... well, um... about that... we did find the other three, but..."

_Just spit it out, Issun, _I thought, annoyed at his sudden hesitance. _No point in lying to her, is there?_

"You found them?!" Something akin to relief flashed across the princess' face.

"Well, yeah..." Issun rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. "It's kinda a long story, but I'm afraid they won't be coming back. Instead, they gave us the Satomi Power Orbs."

"I see..." she murmured, closing her eyes. "Well, I did sense that the Canine Warriors had changed in some way..." She missed them; that much I could tell. The sadness in her voice was unmistakable.

"Maybe they had a fateful encounter during their journey; perhaps strong bonds that cannot be broken have been forged. If they are to live apart from the Satomi House, I have but one wish: I would wish them to protect the peace under their new master, for that is the role they were meant to fulfill." Taking a deep breath, Princess Fuse opened her eyes and looked at us. "Well, at any rate, all the Satomi Power Orbs have been returned! Now I can break Crimson Helm's barrier. I must get to the shrine." She started for the door, only to stop as the eight glowing orbs encircled Amaterasu and slowly began to spin.

"Whoa, check it out! The Power Orbs are spinning around Ammy!" cried Issun.

_What's going on?! _I crouched low, ready to knock any of the Orbs out of their orbit if they so much as touched Amaterasu. They were ancient relics with undeniable power; there was no telling what they could do. The princess stared in shock at Amaterasu, her mouth hanging open.

"How could this be? Have the Power Orbs accepted you as their new master?!"

"Master?! What're ya talkin' about, lady?!" demanded the Poncle.

_So this isn't dangerous?_ I relaxed slightly, still eyeing the orbs with concern.

"One does not choose to take the Orbs. They choose their master. O magnificent Power Orbs, heirlooms of the Satomi House... are these whom you have chosen to decide the Satomi House's fate?!"

_Please don't tell me you're actually expecting the orbs to answer, _I thought.

_**We would have escorted her through the shrine anyway,**_ said Amaterasu, looking at me. _**This just makes our task slightly easier. **_

_Right. Well, I can't say that I didn't see this coming, _I sighed. The fact that we would have to bring down Crimson Helm was daunting, but as long as Amaterasu was around, I was more than willing to take him down.

_**Shall we go? **_asked Amaterasu, and I nodded.

_To the Gale Shrine, then._

_--_

We traversed the narrow path down to the shrine in silence, steeling ourselves for the monster that awaited us within. Gradually my thoughts began to wander to what was ahead. I wondered what Crimson Helm was like. Judging by every other demonic force we'd encountered, there was no doubt it would be large and carry enough attacks to crush us if we weren't careful. Even with the blessing of the Satomi Power Orbs, I wasn't sure if both of us would leave the battle alive. And then there was the matter of the Serpent Crystal; Waka had said it was by the windmill, and since the windmill was a part of the Gale Shrine, the mysterious gem was probably within its depths. After Waka's conversation with Ammy, I wasn't too worried about what he might do with it; if the goddess trusted him, then so would I. I nearly jumped at the sudden, loud snore that echoed down the tunnel.

"What the heck was that?" wondered Issun, and brought Denkomaru out with a flourish. "Leap before ya look, furballs! Let's see what it is!"

_Something tells me he wouldn't be so excited if it was Crimson Helm waiting for us, _I thought, and took the lead, the flames along Fleeting Spirit dancing restlessly around it. The scythe wanted to fight; every part of it hummed with anticipation of enemies to slaughter and battles to be won. Ignoring its eagerness, I entered the large cavern that housed the entrance to the sacred shrine. _Ah, _I thought, peering through the dim lighting at a large, plump shape sitting on the ground. _It's a person._ Another piercing snore rocked the cave, and I winced. _Geez... who is this geezer? _I thought, and hesitantly approached him. Three jugs of sake lay behind him; one glance told me he'd guzzled them all before he'd fallen asleep. His odd purple garb was muddied and torn, and his hair was filled with what appeared to be twigs and leaves. The sword he cradled seemed to be made out of wood; how he could slay anything with that was beyond me. _Maybe it's a training sword? _I wondered, and prodded him with one paw.

"Susano-Style Sleeping Monk, Hidden Sake!" came the man's response, and I cocked my head to one side, semi-amused.

_Is he talking in his sleep?_

"What the?! Well, lookie here, it's Susano!" exclaimed Issun, hopping off my muzzle and over to the sleeping warrior.

I blinked and cocked my head to one side. _Who?_

Noting my curious stare, Issun hastened to explain. "Susano's a warrior from Kamiki, and he's supposed to be some great descendant of Nagi or somethin'."

"Kushi..." mumbled Susano, and rolled over.

"Hehe... the lazy bum's talkin' in his sleep! Wonder what he's thinkin' about?" added Issun suggestively, and I rolled my eyes.

"Uuuh... Oooh... No, no... Not that... By the gods, I vow to..."

All three of us turned to stare at the warrior as he mumbled in his sleep.

"You won't ever..." he mumbled again, and fell silent.

"I thought he was just talking in his sleep, but... He seems rather frantic. It'd be funny if it weren't so sad..." remarked Issun, and jumped onto Amaterasu's snout as we padded off toward the shrine. A large, shimmering barrier stood in front of the door, the eight colors of Satomi standing guard against those who would enter unprotected.

"So, uh... how are we supposed to get in?" asked Issun. I did my best to shrug.

_No clue... wait... what is _that_? _I stared as a strange shape began to form before us, blocking our path to the shrine. As it faded into view, I could tell what it was: a man, clothed in faint green temple robes and wearing a strange, conical hat with what looked to be a pinwheel attached to it. His milky white eyes stared uselessly at us.

"Hey, what's with this guy? I can see right through him!" yelped Issun, and ducked into Ammy's fur.

"Hm? Who are you? How is it you can see me? I am Yatsu, the earthbound spirit who haunts this area. Long has it been since any have ventured this way."

_I can imagine_, I thought, looking at the cracked stones that served as a walkway. Chunks of earth had fallen away completely, settling to the bottom of the pond on either side of the path. The walls, once patterned with images of the wind, had faded, leaving strange streaks of green along its length. The holes that once allowed the sun's rays in had collapsed; only splotches of light made it down into the cavern. The water outside the shrine had stilled; algae grew rampant across its surface. It truly was a sorry sight.

"My eyes have failed me. I can no longer see, but in their stead, my inner eye can judge a person's true form. You appear to be a maiden most fair," judged Yatsu. He turned to me. "As for you... you appear to be a proud warrior of the night. What could possibly bring you to the Gale Shrine?"

_Power Orbs and a monster that wears a crimson helm._

"You must leave this place, for it is no longer a shrine of the gods," warned Yatsu. "It is now cursed and under the control of a horrible creature. This is no place for a fair maiden, or even a warrior shrouded in the darkness of the night."

"Fair maiden? He talking about you, furball?! That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. Aha ha ha ha ha!" Issun laughter died off as a dangerous growl escaped Amaterasu's throat.

_**Just because I happen to be a wolf does **_**not**_** mean that I am any less of a goddess or a woman, Issun,**_ she huffed.

"What's this? It appears the maiden and the warrior are accompanied by a little booger. Is the village to meet its end at last?" The spirit shook his head, sorrow emanating from his aura.

"Little booger?!" Issun's aura went from green to red as he began to hop up and down. "He better not be talking about me!"

Amaterasu and I took one look at each other and broke down in a fit of giggles.

"What's so funny?!"

_**Nothing, Issun; nothing at all, **_said Amaterasu once our laughter had subsided.

_What she said, _I added silently, and grinned.

When the spirit realized we had finished our business, he went on. "Hardly anyone has visited the Gale Shrine since it has been cursed." Yatsu motioned with one hand at Susano. "The strangely frenzied man over there is one of the few. He has been meditating alone at the shrine's entrance, but his sleep is filled with nightmares that make him cry out." A dark frown creased his face. "I pity the poor man and would like to render what service I could, but when I try to peer into his dreams, an evil force bars my way. Who is this strange man?"

"Ya know..." began Issun, and both Amaterasu and I turned to look as him as he went on, "Come to think of it, Susano said something about being possessed. And he's been acting all weird lately..."

_**I sense Orochi,**_ said Amaterasu grimly, and padded over to the sleeping warrior. _**His power is reaching out for Susano - for the descendant of Nagi. **_She nudged him gently, looking for some sort of response, but Susano continued to sleep.

_That doesn't sound very good. _Was Orochi trying to subvert Susano somehow? From what I'd learned of the legend, only Nagi had been able to finish the serpent with his blade; could the same hold true for his descendants? I yearned to sit on the ground and figure it out, but the need to stop Crimson Helm nagged at me. I glanced at the gate once more, wondering how we would even get in. _Yatsu doesn't seem like he's going to budge anytime soon... Maybe if we had the Ghostbusters...? Nah. _I began to think, discarding ideas that were far too crazy to ever work. I groaned inwardly. _I can't think of anything... how are we going to stop Crimson Helm if we can't get into the shrine?_

Suddenly Yatsu blinked, his sightless eyes fixing on Ammy. "What's this?!" he cried. "I sense an intense power! It envelops your body... could it be the Satomi Power Orbs?! Fair maiden, the orbs would only choose the one who is our savior. The eight colors of light are living proof of that."

As if to underscore Yatsu's words, the eight shining orbs swirled around Amaterasu once before vanishing into her fur.

"Very well. You may pass, O savior of the Satomi House!"

_**Thank you, Yatsu, **_replied the goddess, and dipped her head slightly.

"Beware, fair maiden and warrior; Crimson Helm is a terrible foe."

_Says you and everyone else,_ I thought somberly. _We'll need to watch our step, then._

"It is said that when the eight-headed serpent was slain 100 years ago, Crimson Helm emerged from a pool of the beast's blood. Never let your guard down!"

_So Crimson Helm's an offshoot of Orochi... that would explain why he's so strong, _I mused as Amaterasu and I walked past him into the Gale Shrine. I reached for the map of the area that I had memorized on earth, only to find it missing. _You've got to be kidding me, _I said disbelievingly, and shook my head. _How are we going to -_

My thought was interrupted by a loud crash that sounded from further within the shrine. Wood splinters rolled to a stop at our feet, their ends partially burnt by an unknown force. A loud cry split the air as the heavy footfalls of something thundered toward us.

_**Be careful,**_ warned Amaterasu, and in a flash the rosaries were spinning around her, ready to strike whatever was coming. I nodded and crouched low, preparing to spring at the enemy. What entered the hall was something neither of us had expected.

A gargantuan boar lumbered toward us, the two blades in his hand gleaming sinisterly in the torchlight. His entire body seemed to be covered in flames; they rippled and stretched as the boar moved, working as if they were real muscles. Intense waves of heat radiated off of the monster, and though we were several yards away from it, I could already feel the tips of my fur begin to heat up. The large plates of armor covering his body, face, and arms spoke of death and destruction; dried blood and rust covered the entirety of the armor. The flaming crimson helm atop its head seemed to absorb the heat of the torches around the shrine. With every passing second, their flames grew dimmer; it wouldn't be long before they were extinguished completely.

"Who dares enter the lair of Crimson Helm?!" boomed the boar, and swung one cleaver in our direction.

"It's Crimson Helm!" shouted Issun, and stared at the demon lord, sizing him up. "Heh heh... He really does look like one mean dude. Better psych yourself up for this one, furballs!"

_No kidding,_ I thought, and tried to ignore the sweat that was starting to roll into my eyes. _I'm sweating and I'm not even near him! If it wasn't for this fur..._

_**Kazegami lies dormant somewhere in this shrine, **_said Amaterasu, and inclined her head toward the path behind Crimson Helm. _**We cannot get close without the strength of the Divine Wind; only Galestorm can extinguish Crimson Helm's living flame. **_The sun goddess turned to me, those liquid gold eyes full of uncertainty. _**I must retrieve Kaze... but Crimson Helm will follow me to him unless you stay here to fight, and a Brush God will not show itself unless it does not sense evil near it. Can you manage by yourself? **_

_Wait, what?! _I yelped, and shook my head vigorously. _Are you out of your _mind_?! _There was no way in _hell _I stood a chance against Crimson Helm by myself. _I think I'd rather walk straight up to Orochi and tell him he's a mutant eel than fight this guy! _

Ammy watched patiently as I continued my silent tirade, pacing in front of her. _This is insane. _I-N-S-A-N-E! _Does she want me to die?! I can barely defeat some of the stronger demons, and most of the time that was with her helping! How am I supposed to stall for time against a demonic boar?! _I continued to vent to myself for a minute, my tail swishing back and forth. At last, I turned to look at the white wolf, intent on putting my foot down.

_**Please? **_she implored, and at once all my resolve vanished. I sighed, silently wishing that she didn't have such a hold over me.

_... I'll do it, _I grumbled, and nodded at Amaterasu.

_**I would not ask this of you if I didn't believe you could hold your own against him, **_she said softly. _**Please keep that in mind.**_

"You dare to ignore my question?!"

I blinked, and wordlessly Amaterasu and I turned our attention toward the monster. The two of us had been so caught up in our conversation that we'd forgotten he was there.

"No one ignores Crimson Helm!" roared the demon, and charged at us, both of his blades raised to strike.

"Furballs, he's coming closer! Time to move!" yelped the Poncle, and dove into Amaterasu's fur as we moved in separate directions.

_**Shinryu, quickly, **_urged the goddess. _**The Abyssal Brush!**_

_Uh... _My mind raced, trying to figure out how I could use Destruction or Silverwisp to distract Crimson Helm. At last, I settled for destroying the stones beneath the demon lord's feet. It staggered and flopped to the ground, arms flailing about as it struggled to get up.

_**Thank you, **_said Ammy, and briefly rested her head against mine before vaulting over the demon and racing deeper into the shrine. I did the same, skidding to a stop and whirling around to face the fiery monster as it slowly dragged itself upright. With a nimbleness that didn't belong to its unholy frame, the boar turned and fixed its eyes on me.

"You! You must be the one Lord Orochi speaks of!"

_Yep. _

"Shinryu, was it?" Seeing that I wasn't going to reply, the demon continued on. "To have betrayed Lord Verel is reason enough for death. But to consort with the sun goddess?" Crimson Helm snorted in disgust. "No, death is far too good for the likes of you! How could one so high in Lord Verel's esteem have fallen so low?"

I stared at him, at a loss for words. _What do you mean, 'betrayed Lord Verel?' And I was on Verel's good list once? _I shook my head. That couldn't be possible; Amaterasu would probably have slain me without a second thought if that had been the case. I let out a low growl. _I don't appreciate the lies, you know._

"I see you have no intention of dying soon... perhaps a fight against an endless inferno can change that!" Flames spewed out of the boar's maw, racing toward me. With a quick stroke from my tail I was out of harm's way, Silverwisp pulling me up and away to safety.

_You're going to have to do better than that, _I taunted silently, and leapt onto a nearby rafter. Crimson Helm roared and slashed at the rafter's supports, his blades bursting into flame as they connected with the wood. The entire structure began to shake, and with a yelp I jumped off and landed on the stone floor, looking frantically for the nearest exit. Spotting a doorway, I rushed through it, the demon's footsteps growing louder as he gave chase. I ran down the path, stopping as I began to cross a wooden bridge. Faint pawmarks showed in the dust that coated the half-rotted beams.

_Ammy's been through here,_ I realized. _I'd be taking Crimson Helm straight to her. _A loud stomp jarred my thoughts, and I spun around to find Crimson Helm glaring ominously at me.

"Running will get you nowhere; this is _my _shrine!" The boar snorted, and swiped at me with one sword. I backflipped over it, twisting in midair to look for a way out.

_There! _Across from the bridge, a long, straight path stretched out, columns laying haphazardly across the path. I quickly drew a line from me to one of the columns. A strand of Silverwisp tugged me out of the demon lord's reach and onto the corridor. A fell wind whipped by me, and despite the heat from the torches and my own fur coat, I shivered. _Strange... _I thought, shuddering as the dark wind blew past me once more. _I feel like I _know _that breeze..._

"Like I said, Shinryu," growled a terrifyingly familiar voice from behind, "this is _my shrine!_"

I howled in pain as a flaming sword cut into my flank, leaving a large, burnt gash. The scent of burned hair filled the air while I staggered to one side, my head swimming. _Did he... move... with the wind?_ I thought, trying to keep focused on Crimson Helm. The boar swung once more, and this time I barely jumped the attack, gritting my teeth to keep from crying out in pain as my side protested my actions. Before I could move again, cold steel slammed into me and knocked me into the air. I hit the ceiling with a loud crack and fell down onto the stone floor, landing on my wounded side. As I struggled to get up, Crimson Helm spoke once more.

"I would kill you... but death truly is too good for you. I think I'll let you suffer a bit more."

_Thanks, _I thought stupidly, and at last got to my feet, my limbs trembling with the effort. I let out a defiant growl. The demon simply laughed in return and struck me again with his gauntlet, sending me flying into one of the stone columns. The pillar gave way, falling down beside me with an audible thud. I slowly drew myself up from the ground, every part of my body burning in agony. _Damn it... I can barely move..._ I took one step forward -- and slumped to the floor as my body gave way. _So... is this it? _I wondered, as Crimson Helm lifted both of his swords, their edges pointed at me. _Amaterasu... I'm sorry. _I shut my eyes, waiting for the end to come.

Seconds lengthened to minutes, and still nothing came. I opened one eye to find a black and blue cat staring curiously at me, calmly licking one paw. The surrounding area had turned pitch black; Crimson Helm was nowhere in sight. _What the _hell _is going on?! _I got up from the ground with surprising agility; my body had ceased to hurt. A quick glance at my side revealed that the wound had closed completely. _I'm... alive? _I turned my gaze to the glowing rune that my paw had stepped on. _Did this... _I looked at the cat. _Did _you _save me?_

"Ah, Great Shinryu," spoke the cat. "It appears you've recovered your senses. That was a grievous wound you suffered..."

_So you did heal me... thank you,_ I thought, and waited for the cat to continue.

"I am Kuruboshi, second of the three Elders of the Karagami."

_Two out of three... _I mused. _Silverwisp has been invaluable so far; I wonder what Kuruboshi's power is?_

"It has been many an age since we have traversed the field of battle together, Shinryu. Long have I slumbered, and long have I yearned for the chance to fight once more. I, Kuruboshi, shall strike down those who would stand in your way." Kuruboshi produced three lethal claws from his paw and struck at the air. Dark, glimmering marks remained in the air even after the cat god had stowed its claws. "Let the strength of Wicked Claw be returned to the Abyssal Brush!"

The rune lifted off the ground and spiraled once before plunging into my chest. _Wicked Claw, huh? _I thought as the warm, tingling feeling that came with each recovered technique faded away. The darkness suddenly vanished, replaced by a demonic boar with both his weapons poised to kill me. _Oh, great! _I leapt to the left and raised my tail. The divine canvas dropped into place, and I took a moment to consider how to use Kuruboshi's power. _It _is _called Wicked Claw... maybe I have to make a curve? _I quickly drew a curved line that encompassed both of Crimson Helm's blades. Praying that this would work, I let my tail fall. A satisfying screech rent the air as Crimson Helm's swords fell to pieces, cut by an unseen force.

"What?!" The demon lord stared at the remains of his faithful weapons. "How?!"

_Heh... I think I like this new technique,_ I thought, and flashed a wolfish grin at him. _Care if I test it out on you?_

Though he couldn't hear me, the smug in my eye was too obvious to miss. A jet of flame lanced out of Crimson Helm's maw, heading straight for me. I moved to dodge it when a refreshing, rejuvenating breeze passed by me, heading for Crimson Helm. The flames blew backward, falling into nothingness as the heat emanating from the boar abruptly vanished.

_**So **_**you**_** are Crimson Helm, **_came Amaterasu's melodious voice. Without a sound, she landed beside me, crouched to spring at the demon. She surveyed me, all worry vanishing from her eyes as she saw I was unharmed. _**You did well, **_she noted, and there was a mixed note of joy and sadness in her thought.

_You have _no _idea, _I thought. _Never, ever, do that to me again!_

"Heh... how'd ya like that, Shin?! That was Galestorm!" Issun seemed absolutely ecstatic. "Imagine what you could do with that and a woman's kimono..." he whispered to me.

_Typical Issun. _I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to Crimson Helm, who had taken a few steps backward. The will to fight had vanished from his eyes; a sense of fear seemed to radiate from every fiber of his being.

"If you would fight me... come to the deepest part of the shrine," boomed Crimson Helm, and vanished in a blast of dark wind.

_**Coward, **_growled Amaterasu, and turned to me. _**That wind... it was different than the one I encountered atop the windmill. It was almost as though it were... **_she trailed off, a distant look in her eyes.

_Were? _I waited for her to finish her thought. After a minute, the goddess shook her head.

_**Impossible, **_she said, more to herself than anything else. Without another word, she started toward the inner shrine.

"Whoa, wait up, furball!" shouted Issun, and jumped onto my muzzle as I sprinted after her. Amid Issun's chatter, I began to think, trying to make sense of Ammy's mysterious thoughts. _'Almost as though it were...' what? _I shook my head. Almost as though it had been something else? Another demon? Or maybe someone Amaterasu had known? I had no idea what to make of it, but one thing was certain: Amaterasu was hiding something, and once Crimson Helm had gone down, I intended to figure out what it was.

* * *

**A/N: **It might interest some of you to know that I have the Orochi battle written out already. I figure we're one or two chapters away from that, but once the next chapter is up, the Orochi chapter should follow within a few days. You know the drill... that lonely button does love to be put to use, after all. A major thanks again to everyone who reviewed last time!


	10. Orochi's Call

**A/N: ***raises flame shield* Okay, okay. I have been gone for a while, but that's due to college and life in general... Just know that the next chapter will be up quicker because most of it has already been written out. This chapter hasn't been beta'd, sadly; given the time lapse, I can't really say how well this stacks up to the other chapters.

To all those who reviewed (too many to name personally), thank you very much! I appreciate it, and I apologize for not getting this chapter out sooner... and now, without further ado...**  
**

* * *

**Antithesis  
**

**Chapter 10: Orochi's Call**

I jumped the last of the flaming barriers as the divine wind from Galestorm faded, releasing its hold on the ravaging flames. They spurted up once more, blocking our path backwards. The same fell wind that Crimson Helm traveled through seeped out the cracks of the serrated double doors that stood ominously before us.

"Betcha Crimson Helm's behind those doors," said Issun, and shuddered as another breeze passed by him. "Just feel that wind!"

_I swear I _know _that wind, _I thought, straining to figure out why it felt so familiar. When nothing came to me, I turned to Amaterasu and nodded. Together we pushed open the doors and strode into the empty, circular chamber, searching for any trace of Crimson Helm. The room was dark; none of the torches on the columns were lit. Through the dim light that barely filtered through the window, I could make out some sort of object on a pedestal near the back of the room. Despite the darkness, it glimmered brightly, exposing the eight strange markings on it for all to see.

_Is that the Serpent Crystal?_

Apparently Issun had noticed it as well. "You see that, furballs? It's some kind of crystal. Looks like a berry or something," he commented.

I sighed. _The first thing that comes to your mind is _food_?_

"I bet it's the Serpent Crystal for dispelling Orochi's barrier! You know, the item that Waka guy was searching for."

_We remember._ I glanced around, and blinked as a flash of pink darted by the window. _Waka?_

I turned to Amaterasu, who nodded. _**Waka is the only one capable of using the Serpent Crystal; I am glad he has made it here without much trouble.**_

"Sweet! We found it before he did!" the artist cheered.

_Not that it matters,_ I grumbled. _Now, where's Crimson Helm?_

As if on cue, the torches began to light up one by one, the bright crimson flames casting a bloody glow upon the room. The flames lifted themselves off the torches and floated haphazardly toward the center until they merged to become a raging inferno intent on frying us.

"What the heck?!" yelped Issun, beads of sweat rolling down his tiny body. "Is this Crimson Helm again?!"

Before Amaterasu or I could say anything, eight swirling orbs of color descended from the ceiling to circle Amaterasu protectively.

"Aren't these the Satomi Power Orbs?" Issun peered at the glowing lights carefully. "They gonna protect us or something?"

_I certainly hope so,_ I thought, my eyes fixed on the inferno. Suddenly, the flames vanished, replaced by the armored boar known as Crimson Helm.

"Fools," growled Crimson Helm. "You stand in my dominion; your strength is nothing here!" he boomed, and pointed at the Satomi Power Orbs. They shot over to Crimson Helm, each orb settling itself easily into the joints of his armor.

_**Impossible,**_ declared the sun goddess, staring at the demon in disbelief. _**The Power Orbs... how?**_

_I don't know, and I don't care; one way or another, he's going down! _The thought of exacting revenge on Crimson Helm for the near fatal beating he'd given me propelled me forward. A running leap sent me straight into the boar's chest, my scythe slashing without pause at the plate before it. Kicking off with my hind paws, I flipped away and assessed the damage. _Nothing. _Not a single dent showed on his armor from my assault. Two loud clanks from the hind plates signaled Amaterasu's Power Slash, but they too glanced off, leaving no marks from Tachigami's bite. _This is ridiculous, _I thought, and sidestepped the incoming blows from the two golden katanas in Crimson Helm's grip. _If we can't remove his armor, we can't kill him!_

Beside me, Amaterasu bared her teeth and pushed off the ground, sending herself soaring toward the demon. With three strikes from her reflector, Crimson Helm staggered backward. A blazing wall of fire surged in front of him, hiding the monster from view as he withdrew to recover his senses. A simple brushstroke in the form of Galestorm was all it took to dispel the flames and open the path to Crimson Helm once more. In response, the demonic boar roared in defiance and swung at us both, forcing us to somersault away. I skidded to a halt by the entrance and let out a growl. Though Amaterasu had stunned the demon temporarily, she hadn't wounded him; his armor remained intact, protecting him from any attack that would otherwise harm him.

_Why can't we damage him?! _

_**As I thought, **_said Amaterasu grimly, and looked at me. _**He cannot be harmed as long as he has the Satomi Power Orbs.**_

_Then we'll just have to take them off somehow, _I thought, and eyed each colored orb carefully. All of them were placed at points where the ends of each plate met the others; there was no way to reach them without braving Crimson Helm's katanas. _I really would prefer to stay in one piece... and not get wounded again. _I shuddered involuntarily as the ghost of the searing pain Crimson Helm had dealt to me earlier passed through my mind. There was no way I was going anywhere near the gleaming weapons in Crimson Helm's hands if I could help it. _So if I don't want to go anywhere near those katanas, then the only option would be... the Abyssal and Celestial Brush. _

Amaterasu had apparently reached the same conclusion. Power Slashes bounced off the orbs and onto the stone floor, carving ruts deep into each stone but leaving the orbs unharmed. Before Crimson Helm could respond, two Cherry Bombs exploded in his face, knocking him off-balance. When the smoke cleared, the multicolored glow of the Power Orbs signaled their survival. _**Holy power,**_ sighed the goddess, and turned to me. _**The orbs, like the Celestial Brush, are of divine origin; the Celestial Brush is useless against them. **_

_Then as its antithesis... _With a swipe of my tail, one of the Satomi relics vanished from view._ The Abyssal Brush should work._

Apparently oblivious to his loss, Crimson Helm advanced on us, the immense heat radiating from his body forcing us back several steps.

_**Quickly, Shinryu; I will distract him while you remove the rest of the orbs,**_ said Amaterasu, and took off to the left before I could object. Crimson Helm snarled and slashed after her, turning so that his side faced me. Taking the opportunity, I quickly painted three lines over the three orbs I could see and grinned as Wicked Claw rent them in two.

_Four down, four to go. _I sprinted to my right, circling behind Crimson Helm to look for the remaining orbs. Spotting one settled on his rump, I sliced it in half with a quick stroke of the Abyssal Brush. I gulped as Crimson Helm jumped in surprise and spun around to glare at me.

_Uh-oh. _I froze and stared into those burning eyes.

"What do you think you're doing, Shinryu?!" he bellowed, and smacked me with the blunt side of his katana. I dug my paws into the floor, coming to a stop just before the wall.

_Exactly what you think I'm doing, _I said as Wicked Claw cut two more orbs from his shoulders. _Only one left..._ I sprinted from left to right, hoping that Crimson Helm would focus his attention back on Amaterasu, but to no avail; his gaze remained focused on me. Suspicious of my actions, he began to swipe at me, forcing me to abandon the search for the final orb and focus on dodging his blades. As I ducked under one of the katanas, a dull light pulsed from underneath Crimson Helm's belly. _There it is!_ Leaping over the blades that crossed my path, I grit my teeth and pressed forward, doing my best to weather the punishing heat the boar radiated from his body. As soon as the Satomi orb came into view, I raised my tail, calling the divine canvas to life. With a single brushstroke, Wicked Claw removed the last of the orbs from view. Relieved, I retreated to the safety of the outer columns, far away from the oppressive heat. _That should do it. Now..._

Two Wicked Claws tore through Crimson Helm's armor, cleaving it in two. The pieces clattered to the ground with a resounding clang, exposing the boar's fiery skeleton.

"No!" Crimson Helm stomped his hooves on the floor, shaking the shrine to its foundations. With a snort, he raised both katanas, summoning fireball after fireball to fry us.

"This guy just doesn't quit!" complained the Poncle, and ducked back into the sun goddess' fur as we charged the boar, nimbly dodging each miniature inferno that threatened to destroy us. Kazegami's power filled the chamber, dispelling the flames in the air and on the demon's body.

_**For those of Satomi House, **_cried Amaterasu, and slammed Divine Retribution into Crimson Helm. Her vicious assault slowly drove the boar back toward the altar; a Cherry Bomb or Power Slash accompanied each strike from the reflector. The demon swiped blindly at the airborne goddess, knocking her back onto solid ground. While she got to her feet, Crimson Helm backed toward the shadows, the fire in his eyes nearly burnt out.

"Huh?!" Issun popped out of my fur, his aura a bright yellow. "Is he chickening out? After him, furballs! Quick!"

Before either of us could take a step forward, Susano dashed past us, planting himself squarely in front of Crimson Helm.

"Back, you curs!" shouted Susano, looking back at us angrily. "I'll handle this one. Charge!!!"

"What the heck's he doing?!" cried Issun, watching as Susano dashed toward the demon. "He's gonna get sliced and diced! Time for some brushwork, furballs!"

Susano's yells filled the air as he unleashed a flurry of blows upon the demon, and with every strike of his sword both Power Slash and Wicked Claw cut into Crimson Helm. The combined might of Celestial, Abyssal, and earthly weapons opened gashes that spilled a foul black substance onto the floor.

"And to top it off... Now for some wind!" Susano held his sword as if it were a bat and began to spin in circles.

_Please tell me this isn't one of his techniques... _I groaned and looked at the goddess, who was slowly shaking her head.

Amaterasu sighed. _**Such theatrics, **_she said, but summoned the divine wind to help the warrior. Aided by Galestorm, Susano began to spin faster.

"Yes, wind! More wind!" called Susano, and once more Amaterasu obliged.

"Now you're talking! Wait... there's more!"

_How much wind do you need?! _I thought in dismay as Amaterasu's Galestorm once more blew through the chamber.

"Behold! The secret technique, Wind of Wrath!" shouted Susano. The wind lifted Susano's spinning form off the ground, carrying him past Crimson Helm's head so swiftly that I could barely see his blade pierce the demon's skull. With one pitiful whimper, Crimson Helm exploded, leaving only his skeleton behind as Susano landed gracefully on the floor in front of us to strike the strangest pose I'd seen in weeks.

"Now I'm positive..." murmured Susano to himself, staring at his sword with what appeared to be disdain. "This is not my doing. It's the gods! They toy with me!"

_You just charged a demon three times bigger than you and killed it, _I thought, watching Susano's tantrum with chagrin. _Did you really think that would be possible without help?_

Oblivious to my thoughts, the swordsman continued to rant. "Will you never stop mocking me?! You hear me up there?! Are you happy now?!" Susano sighed and placed his sword in its holder on his back. "Oh, why must I bear this burden of being Nagi's descendant? All I wish is to live in peace!" He stared out the open window at the sky. "Do you enjoy dogging my every step?!"

"You OK, pops?" Issun ventured cautiously.

"Blast you gods! I don't want your power!"

_**Poor man, **_murmured Amaterasu. _**He does not wish to accept the role the gods have chosen him to play, but as Nagi's descendant... he has no choice....**_ She closed her eyes. _**It is at times like these that I wish there would be a way to release him from his fate, but not even I have the power to do so.**_

"This whole world can fall to ruin as far as I'm concerned. Enough of these 'legends' and 'Nagi's descendant' stuff! Now, just leave me be!" raged Susano. As soon as the swordsman finished speaking, a black shadow exploded forth from Crimson Helm's skeleton, taking the shape of a serpent.

_Orochi! _

_**Orochi's shadow!**_

In an instant both Amaterasu and I were crouched, poised to spring into battle at a moment's notice.

"Wh-What the heck's that?!" yelped Issun, hopping up and down atop my snout. Not bothering to answer, I ran forward -- only to be knocked back by an invisible barrier.

_We can't get to Susano?! _I watched, helpless, as Orochi's shadow lowered itself until it was nearly touching him.

"Yikes!" Susano scrambled backwards, clutching at his head with his hands. "That voice... One after the other... You're driving me crazy! Stop it! I don't want to hear about that now!"

_What is he talking about?_ I wondered. _Wait... Orochi's calling to him again?_

"Go away! Leave me alone!" Susano bolted out of the shrine, and with a snort, the shadow vanished.

The Poncle gulped. "What was that, furballs?"

_**Orochi's shadow. Which reminds me... Waka?**_ Amaterasu turned to the altar. I followed suit, and fought the urge to growl as Waka carefully removed the Serpent Crystal from its resting place.

"Bonjour!" greeted Waka, and waved to Amaterasu.

_**Hello, Waka. It's good to see you're safe, **_greeted the goddess.

"Oh brother... It's that half-baked prophet again!" muttered Issun. His tiny eyes widened as the sparkle of the crystal in Waka's hands caught his attention. "Hey, that's... that's..."

"What, this?" the prophet held the crystal up for examination. "It's the Serpent Crystal, and it's mine at last!"

"You got a lotta nerve muscling in on our goods like that! We found it first!" shouted Issun, his aura a deep crimson.

_Technically, he found it at the same time we did, _I thought, remembering the flash of pink that I'd seen by the window before the battle.

"It won't do you any good. I mean, I'm the only one who can dispel the barrier with it. You know, the barrier at the Moon Cave, Orochi's stronghold."

A thunderous roar shook the walls of the shrine.

"Hm? You calling me, big boy?" Waka called out the window. "Heh heh heh... Keep your scales on, I'm coming!"

"Hey what's going on? Why ya goin' over to Orochi's place?!" demanded the Poncle, hopping up and down on Amaterasu's snout.

"Heh heh heh... Oh, I almost forgot!" said Waka, ignoring Issun. "Time for another prophecy. I foresee a rendezvous with a sweet little thing! Anyway, I must be off. Au revoir, baby!" The prophet waved in farewell as he darted back out the way he had come.

"Now you wait a second! Dispel the barrier at the Moon Cave? What the heck's he up to?"

_I sometimes wonder if you're playing dumb or if you simply don't understand that he's trying to help us... somehow. Although... he really could be more clear with his prophecies._

"And was that shadowy creature with those heads really Orochi?" pondered the artist, pacing up and down Amaterasu's muzzle. "Our future's pretty bleak unless we do something about him. I mean, I'm too young to die! I'd like a chance to use all these brush techniques, too!"

_I... _I shuddered, remembering those glittering eyes that I'd seen so long ago back on Earth. Orochi had frightened me then, and he still frightened me now; the only difference was, I now had the power to challenge him. Facing Orochi was something I hadn't been looking forward to, but it had to be done. _I'd like to live too, but as long as Amaterasu's here... I think we can defeat Orochi._

"Ammy, you slayed that monster long ago, right? I bet your partner Nagi was the stronger of you two." Issun paused, his aura flashing as he lost himself in thought.

_Yes, because a mortal warrior would be _so_ much stronger than a goddess who can harness the elements,_ I muttered.

"Or maybe that legendary sake really packed a punch? ... ... Yeah, it must've been the sake!" he decided.

_Oh, for the love of all that is good, Issun, _I groaned. _You're hopeless._

"The legendary sake is back in Kamiki, isn't it?" The Poncle considered something for a moment. "If I could get Sakuya a little tipsy, then maybe..."

I sighed. _Some things just don't change... _

"Heh heh... Furballs, I suddenly feel like a new man. Let's go!"

As we trotted past the open window, Issun's words made me stop in my tracks.

"That's what I call a full moon!"

_Wait, what? _I looked up at the round, white orb in shock. _Where did the time go? Doesn't Orochi ask for a sacrifice soon?! _I thought, and looked at Amaterasu for confirmation.

_**I know what you're thinking, Shinryu, and I agree, **_said the goddess. _**Orochi will ask for a sacrifice.**_

"Come to think of it... Doesn't the Kamiki Festival fall on a full moon this time of year?!"

_Yes, yes it does! Come on, Issun, please tell me you can figure this out!_

"Oh no, they're gonna finish off all the sake if we don't hurry!"

_... That wasn't the important part._

"C'mon furballs, get the lead out!"

As we raced out of the Gale Shrine toward the tiny hamlet, the weight of Amelia's words once again settled onto my shoulders. The choice she'd foreseen was coming; I could feel it. _There's only one problem, _I thought, and looked over at the sun goddess running beside me.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to go home.

* * *

**A/N: You know what to do. Expect the next chapter within a month or so.  
**


	11. Shinryu, Redux

**A/N: **So here we are again, just as I promised. Like the last chapter, this one hasn't been beta'd due to my beta not being online. This is quite possibly the longest chapter I've ever written for fanfiction, as I couldn't bear to cut it off for a cliffhanger.

FireWingedWolf: You don't have to wait long.

Steben: I won't argue with your first point, but the smoothness of the battle was a testament to how well Shinryu and Amaterasu have improved their fighting skills.

KRP: Yes, I know; Issun's lines sometimes annoyed me throughout the game (mainly the ones where he states the obvious). As for the rest of your questions... wait and see.

iEspeon: Thanks! Hope you enjoy the next one!

* * *

**Antithesis**

**Chapter 11: Shinryu, Redux**

_This could have turned out better, _I thought, staring at the empty platform before me. Kushi had been taken by Orochi the second we had dared to approach the Moon Cave. Once Waka had dispelled the barrier, we'd made our way in, intent on saving Kushi and defeating Orochi. A ruined staircase had blocked our path, but Silverwisp had quickly remedied that; I crossed the gap with little effort. There had only been one problem: Amaterasu hadn't been able to follow me; despite my best efforts, Silverwisp failed to latch onto the goddess, the strands dissipating as soon as they touched her.

_**Don't worry, **_she had said softly. _**I will find my way to Orochi; you will not have to face him alone. I won't allow it. **_

And so she'd jumped down into the abyss. I'd watched the falling streak of white and crimson until it was no more, completely encompassed by the darkness that was all too willing to take her. I felt vulnerable -- more vulnerable than I had since first coming to Nippon. It was disconcerting not to be able to hear Amaterasu's soothing voice in my mind, or feel her presence nearby. The only comforting thought I could think of was that at the very least, Issun had gone with Amaterasu. While the Poncle couldn't fight, he could warn her of dangers before they struck if he paid attention to his surroundings. I could only hope the two of them were faring well as I followed my own path toward Orochi.

"Shinryu!"

Recognizing the silky voice, I immediately crouched, my eyes searching for Toyotama. At last, they found her, perched atop the wall. Orochi's minion grasped a purple spear in one hand and a sky blue spear in the other, her crystalline body radiating waves of energy.

_I should have guessed she'd be here, _I thought. _I only wish that Amaterasu were here to help..._

"I will not -- cannot -- allow you to go any further!" She jumped down from the wall, landing in the center of the platform with a loud thud. "We all have debts to pay, Shinryu, and yours has remained uncollected for far too long." Twirling both spears, she launched herself at me. I barely had enough time to dodge away as both points of her spears dug into the rock where I had been standing. Spinning gracefully, she knocked Fleeting Spirit aside with one spear and threw the other, nicking my side. As she darted past me to retrieve her spear, Silverwisp tugged it from the ground and into the air. With another tug, its shaft slammed into Toyotama. She grunted and grasped it with her free hand, pulling it to her with little effort. Before she could resume her assault, the stone she had been standing on vanished, throwing her off-kilter. I dashed forward, swinging my scythe with every ounce of strength I could dredge up. Toyotama could do nothing but let out a pained shout as Fleeting Spirit bit into her arm. Pulling back, I struck again, carving into her left thigh without much effort.

"Accursed Instrument!" she shouted, and smacked me away with one of her weapons. The tip grazed my paws, drawing a few specks of blood from the fresh wounds. "How is it gaining strength?!"

Gaining _strength? _I repeated. _Fleeting Spirit hasn't reached its full potential? _

"It doesn't matter," she snapped. "Weapons are nothing if you do not have the skill to wield them!" Raising both spears, shards of crystal burst forth from the ground, all pointed toward me. One by one, they flew toward me, intent on skewering me alive.

_Let's see how she likes this, _I growled, and quickly painted a few curved lines. Wicked Claw struck the crystals, reversing them in mid-flight and forcing them back toward Toyotama. The demon batted them aside and lunged at me with a primal scream. I leapt into the air, my scythe clashing with her spears to generate a shockwave that sent us both sprawling across the platform.

"I underestimated your skill, Shinryu," called Toyotama, slowly picking herself up from the ground. "It seems you've improved much since we last clashed."

_As have you, _I thought. The force with which she wielded both spears was just short of overwhelming. Had she been toying with me in the Tsuta Ruins, limiting her power because she had expected an unskilled fighter? I shook my head. It didn't matter; I needed to get past her, and there was only one way that would ever happen. I raised my tail, waking the canvas from its sleep. Wicked Claw seemed to be able to cut through anything. With any luck, it would slice through Toyotama.

Her eyes narrowed. "One last time, Shinryu; give me a fight to remember your death by, will you?"

I nodded. _Goodbye, Toyotama. It's been fun, but I have bigger... fish? Eels? Snakes?... to fry. _One Wicked Claw shattered the spears in her hand and cut deep into her abdomen. She fell to her knees and gasped in pain as I sprinted toward her. Raising one arm, she threw a punch at me that I easily sidestepped. In return, Fleeting Spirit cut into her shoulders and her side, carving deep gashes that drew a scream from the demon.

"Your strength..." she gasped as I rested Fleeting Spirit against her neck.

_Yes?_

"It is powerful," she acknowledged. "I fought as well as I could, and I have no regrets... other than not being able to watch as you are crushed by Lord Orochi." She glared defiantly at me. "You have power, Shinryu, but it is not enough to defeat him."

_That may be true,_ I said, _but I still have to face him._

Toyotama stared at me. "What are you waiting for, Shinryu? Kill me. Let me die a warrior's death."

I stared back at her, uncertain. She had tried to kill me on several occasions; if I didn't kill her now, she would heal and come after me later on. I knew this, and yet part of me still wavered, wanting to spare her life. But however much I wanted to let her live, I knew that this needed to be done.

_I'm sorry, _I whispered, and swung. Her head clattered to the ground, and a second later her entire crystalline body shattered, leaving only fragments of crystal behind. I blinked as the platform faded, darkness encasing it. From the blackness came a blue horse with black stripes adorning its body.

_A Brush God? In Toyotama? _I gawked in disbelief at the horse. _How...?_

"Great Shinryu, I am Umaboshi, last of the three Elders of the Karagami." said the horse. "I have been encased inside that jeweled demon, lending my power to those who were unworthy to use it. I trampled the field of battle against you, Shinryu, the strength of the North Wind aiding your enemies... and for that, I apologize a thousand times over."

_Wait... North Wind... _Suddenly, it clicked. Crimson Helm had been riding the North Wind around the Gale Shrine! _That _was why the wind had seemed so familiar; he had been borrowing the strength of a Brush God from Toyotama. Why she hadn't used Umaboshi's power was puzzling, though; perhaps she was only a keeper of the power, unable to wield the Abyssal Brush?

Umaboshi dipped his head. "Allow me to accompany you, Great Shinryu, and atone for the crimes I have committed."

_Um... okay. _I nodded. Umaboshi neighed as he faded into a rune that floated in front of me. It circled me three times before plunging into my chest, bringing with it the tingling sensation of a power recovered. _So... the North Wind? I wonder how it works?_ I lifted my tail and drew a loop de loop, hoping that the North Wind would work the same as Amaterasu's Galestorm. Nothing happened.

_Ah, well. I'll figure it out as I go along. _I continued forward, wandering the narrow, barren path until at last a golden gate filled my vision. Behind it, a long and winding road curved upwards, stretching toward the heavens. _I might as well wait for Amaterasu here..._ I settled down, head over my paws, and began to think. If the choice I was to make was coming up soon, how would I ever be able to make it? I loved Earth, and I had come to love Nippon in its own way -- not only for Amaterasu, but for the world itself. I couldn't quite explain it, but there was something about this world that felt like home to me almost as much as Earth did. _If it came down to it... could I choose?_ I wondered, anxiously swishing my tail back and forth.

_**Shinryu!**_

I bolted upright as Amaterasu emerged from the cavernous opening nearby, completely unscathed but wearing an imp mask with a smiley face drawn on it. I resisted the urge to laugh as she trotted up to me.

_**Orochi is ahead; I can feel him. **_

"We had one heck of a time down there, Shin!" exclaimed Issun. "Ammy here recovered another brush technique!"

_That makes two of us. _I looked up the path and nodded to Amaterasu. _Shall we go? _We raced up the winding road, hoping that Kushi was still safe. At last, we came to the road's end, a cliff overlooking a small arena with what appeared to be a shrine in the center.

_There's Kushi!_ The sake brewer lay on top of a cracked stone table within an altar. A large, ornate bell loomed above her.

_**OROCHI! **_roared Amaterasu, her mask flying off in the wind. I took one step back, wincing as her shout echoed in my mind.

_**Come out from under that rock like the worm you are!**_

I stared at her in shock. There was nothing in her voice but pure loathing and hatred; I'd never heard her sound so angry. _Jeez... I wouldn't want to fight her now... and where is Orochi, anyway? All I see is this shrine..._ I nearly jumped as the stone beneath us began to tremble, the rocks securing the shrine in place falling away as it began to rotate. _What the hell?! _Despite the urge to run, I stood my ground, watching in horror and amazement as Orochi himself rose from beneath us, all eight of his heads stemming from what had been the shrine. _That's impossible! _I thought crazily, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Orochi was a part of the shrine.

" O wild goddess of the heavens..." rumbled Orochi. "100 years have passed since you imprisoned me here. How is it you have come back after perishing and turning into stone?" The fiery head snorted. "100 years in a cold stony tomb... you reek of decay!"

_**No more than you do, you overgrown eel! **_Amaterasu shot back.

"And you, Shinryu... do you not find it disgraceful to consort with the sun goddess?" Orochi's words were laced with a treacherous, persuasive tone that threatened to suck me in. "Surely you would rather serve me?"

_Go. To. Hell_. I growled, and even though he couldn't hear me, Orochi's eyes narrowed in disappointment.

"I've heard enough!" shouted Issun, lifting the jar of Thunder Brew. "Bottoms up, big guy!" he called cheerily, and tossed it at the beast. Fire caught the jar in his jaws and downed its contents in a single gulp. With a smirk, the serpent tossed it back at Amaterasu, who leapt to one side as it smashed to pieces where she had been standing a second before.

"Die, Amaterasu!" Orochi let out a thunderous roar, and Amaterasu and I answered in kind, our battle cries nearly drowning his out.

_**Not this time, Orochi! **_The sun goddess brought her reflector down onto Water's neck, striking it multiple times before leaping away as all eight of the monster's heads began to glow with a golden light. I struck again and again at Light, dashing away as it slammed its head down in an attempt to crush me.

_**Perhaps you should consider learning some new tricks, **_said Amaterasu, eyeing Orochi as the serpent laughed at our futile attempts to harm him.

"Why should I, when the old ones work just as well?" he replied.

"That cheater has a barrier up!" cried Issun, ignoring the serpent's words and jumping up and down atop my snout. "What are we gonna do now?! Any bright ideas, furballs?"

_None_, I said after Wicked Claw failed to pierce his protections. _How do we stop him?_

Apparently satisfied that we couldn't harm him, Orochi turned to Kushi, his eyes filled with hunger.

"Run, Kushi! Run!" yelled Issun, even as Fire snarled and lunged for the maiden.

"Hold it right there, vile serpent!"

I whipped my head around to see Susano standing atop the ramp, his arms folded across his chest.

"Susano!" cried Kushi, relief and joy etched in her vibrant face. "You came! I knew you'd come!"

"Have no fear! Susano is here! Orochi and I have... a score to settle..." Susano called back, shifting uneasily as he uttered the last few words. I watched as Fire snaked his way over to the swordsman.

_What is he, the leader of the heads or something?_ I wondered inanely.

"Susano?!" Issun stared at him, shocked. "He actually made it here?!"

"Long have I awaited your coming, O descendant of Nagi," hissed Fire. "Now we shall fulfill this burning desire which has consumed us. The descendants of Nagi have kept me imprisoned here for 100 years... yet it is that accursed bloodline which shall unleash my true power. A pact between Nagi's descendant and I, the great Orochi, shall deliver unto me dark powers beyond all comprehension. Let us seal the blood pact for all eternity!"

"What the heck's serpent breath talking about?!" said Issun, absolutely clueless about the scene taking place before him.

_Shut up and pay attention_, I thought, my eyes fixed on Susano. Orochi's words were taking their toll on Susano's will; his eyes, once shining with determination, had almost completely glazed over.

"A blood pact with Susano will unleash Orochi's true power?!"

_What did I just say?_

"O he who seeks power, your first chance slipped through your grasp..." Fire's voice had slipped to a deadly whisper, slowly regaining its force as the head continued with its speech. "But now the time has come for us to seal our eternal bond! Speak the words 'I wish darkness upon the world.' Utter that prayer to me and seal our blood pact. You too shall gain dark powers beyond all comprehension."

"Orochi's trying to tempt Susano! I bet that sneaky serpent was the one giving pops those nightmares!"

_Gee, Issun, great deduction. And..._ I hesitated, looking from serpent to man. His eyes were distant; I could only imagine what was racing through Susano's mind at the moment. _It looks like he's getting the better of Susano, too. This doesn't look too good right now..._

"Now, utter the prayer!" commanded Orochi. "Let the words come from deep within! Recite the words of our blood pact!!!"

"Oh, I shall!" Susano coughed. "I wish darkness upon the world!"

_**NO! **_Whether it was Amaterasu, Kushi, Issun or me who screamed, we all watched, horrified, as Orochi's aura shimmered and warped from golden to black. Darkness began to twine itself around the altar, smothering it completely as the sun goddess snatched Kushi from Orochi's back and gently set her down on the cracked stone flooring.

"Susano! Why?!" wailed Kushi, falling to her knees.

"I don't want to live in Nagi's shadow anymore!" He jumped down from the and made his way toward her. I jumped into his path, letting out a growl.

_You don't even deserve to look at her, Susano; that's the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard!_

As always, my words were left unheard.

"And with this power Orochi will give me, I'll be my own person -"

At this, Orochi snickered. "Foolish descendant of Nagi! Did you truly believe I would grant you power?" Shadow's eyes glinted as it let out a violet beam that sent the swordsman crashing into the far wall.

"You... tricked... me?" wheezed Susano, unable to comprehend the thought. "But that means..."

"Yes, fool! You have doomed your world!" crowed the monster. Before I could blink, all eight of its heads were staring at me. "Do you really want to stand against me now, Shinryu?" rumbled Orochi, and there was a curious waver in its voice. When I didn't answer, the serpent spoke again. "Here... a portal back to whence you came. Leave now... and Verel will not come after you." To the left of Fire materialized a glowing sphere. Slowly but surely it grew until it was the size of the shrine atop Orochi's back, a maelstrom of blues, greens, and reds swirling about its center.

_I can... go home? _I thought in disbelief. _He'll let me go free after all of this? _I frowned. _Why? It makes no sense. And even if I wanted to..._ I looked over at Amaterasu, who was watching me intently. This was it, it had to be. This was the choice Amelia had prophesied. I had to decide now. And so, with a deep breath, I made my decision.

_I can't leave her. I guess I never really could... and definitely not now, when she needs me the most._

Sixteen eyes glowered at me. "Make your decision," came Light's annoyed voice. "I grow impatient."

I glanced at the portal once more. It was close to Fire's neck; if I made my way toward it, and jumped at the head at the last second, the serpent would have no time to react. _Well, here goes nothing..._ I began to walk to the glowing portal, trying to keep my eyes off of Amaterasu. I knew what I would see there: hurt and betrayal, and if I looked, I wouldn't be able to pull this off. As I neared it, the portal expanded to show my house back on Earth. I lifted a paw to touch it -- then coiled my legs underneath me and sprang at Fire, my scythe slashing at it relentlessly.

"You are a fool, Shinryu," growled Shadow, and before I could land it had snatched me from midair. I howled as its teeth sunk deep into my foreleg, nearly scraping bone.

"To choose death over life... well then, claim your fate!" Shadow swiveled once before tossing me headlong into the wall. Waves of pain washed over my body as the worn stone collapsed on me, threatening to bury me alive. I tried to stand, to get out of the rubble, but every bone in my body screamed in agony. Unable to move, the last of the stones fell atop me, effectively trapping me in a stone tomb. Orochi's roar of triumph and Amaterasu's anguished howl echoed in my ears as my vision began to blur.

Then everything went black.

---------------

Darkness. Total darkness surrounded me as I opened my eyes. _Am I... dead? _I wondered.

"Well, not exactly."

I turned to my left to find a very familiar figure looking at me.

_You're me! _I shouted in shock, staring at my earthly counterpart.

"And you're me," Will replied in kind. "Now that we've gotten through the introductions, we should probably start figuring out what's going on. I don't think we've put together all the pieces yet."

_You're right about that one, _I agreed. _First off,_ _why are you here? And where IS here? _

"That's two questions."

_You know I hate math._

_"_All too well. But from what I know... well, I'm not surprised you don't remember, you being half-dead and all," he -- I? -- said, and shrugged. "This is the plane between the worlds. We're here because you finally made the decision that Amaterasu foretold... the one that decides which world we will reside in."

_Oh. Then that means... _I trailed off, my eyes widening as I remembered my decision. _I did it. I chose Nippon... and Amaterasu. _

"Yes, you did." There was a sad note in Will's voice. "I'm gonna miss me, you know."

_Wait a minute... what happens to you, then? Er, me? _I was genuinely confused.

"I die, probably of a heart attack. The body -- our body on Earth -- will shut down completely..." he trailed off, and I closed my eyes. "My -- our -- soul will become whole in Nippon."

I looked down, remembering my time on Earth. Anna, my friends, my parents, and and seventeen years of memories flashed by me in the blink of an eye. _I'm sorry.... but _ _if it's any consolation, I liked Earth too. _

He snorted. "Of course you did; you're me, remember?"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I couldn't help but laugh. _Yeah, yeah... but we're in bad shape in Nippon, you know. I'm trapped under rubble, and I think every bone in my body's been shattered._

"Don't worry." There was a glint of amusement in Will's eye. "That's going to be fixed... wait and see! Just take my hand."

I stepped forward, reaching up to place one paw in his outstretched hand. _Now what?_

"Now... I say goodbye. It was fun talking to me, but..." Will shrugged. "I think I'd prefer being whole."

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then Will began to glow, his body becoming brighter and brighter until at last it winked out of existence. I felt nothing, saw nothing for a moment.

Then the memories slowly began to return.

I was who everyone in Nippon believed me to be, and more. I was Shinryu, former servant of Verel, expert fighter, wielder of the Abyssal Brush and keeper of the Dark Instruments. I strained to remember more, but nothing else followed in its wake.

_All in good time, _whispered a part of me, and I rolled my eyes, even as the darkness around me turned to light.

_I trust we're going to have some conversations of our own later?_

_Of course. _

----------

Power. Sheer power coursed through my body; shattered limbs rebuilt themselves as the fallen stones surrounding me exploded, creating a cloud of dust that concealed me from view. Though I couldn't see them, I felt the black tendrils of strength that trailed from my body, moving of their own accord. While not yet at full strength, I felt whole. Whole, and unbelievably pissed at a certain eight-headed serpent.

_OROCHI! _I roared as the cloud parted. The serpent stared at me in shock.

"Im... impossible!"

_**Shinryu!**_ cried Amaterasu, and I could hear the relief and joy in her radiant voice. _**You're alive!**_

_Of course. I couldn't leave you all alone, now could I? _I replied, and her amber eyes widened in surprise.

_**You... you spoke, **_she said softly. _**When... how?**_

_Later, _I told her. _We've got a bigger problem right now. Actually, eight big problems._

"But... but I killed you!" said Orochi, fear etched in all sixteen of his eyes. "How is it you've returned again?!"

_It's going to take a lot more than some stones to kill me, _I growled, and lifted my tail. With my memories as Shinryu slowly returning, the brush stroke for the North Wind had come back to me. A double loop de loop called forth the frigid winds that assaulted Orochi. In an instant, the monster's black aura faded, replaced by its original gold one. Though Crimson Helm had subverted its purpose, its power to remove auras still remained intact, it seemed.

_Thought I'd even up the odds a little, you cheater, _I remarked casually. _You never were one to play fair, Orochi._ A part of me now remembered why he had wanted me gone from Nippon: I was stronger than he was; far stronger than he could ever hope to be.

"Then let us dance, deathbringer!" Flames poured out of Fire's mouth, seeking to burn me alive, but a swish of Amaterasu's Celestial Brush rendered the attack useless. I grinned.

_I'm not the only one you need to be worried about, _I told him, and sent Shadow's head reeling with a slash from Wicked Claw. Though his aura was still intact, the head was out cold.

"Fido..."

Amaterasu and I turned to find Susano standing next to us, sword in hand. Though wounded from Shadow's attack, he stood firm, his eyes burning with determination

"You stand against Orochi... allow me to join the fight!" Before either of us could do anything, Susano charged Light, sword swinging at the golden neck. "I am the descendant of Nagi! Behold, the greatest warrior that has ever lived! You deceived me once, foul beast, and for that you will pay!"

_Amaterasu, we need to help him before he gets himself killed, _I called hurriedly, keeping the heads that sought to gobble Susano up away with quick strikes from my scythe.

_**I can't harm him without the Eight Purification Sake to dispel his barrier, **_replied the goddess, slamming her reflector into Water's eyes. _**And for that to happen, we need -**_

"Susano!" Kushi's call made everyone stop to look at her. The sake brewer had produced another jar of her famous Thunder Brew and was pouring it into the small, strange moat that surrounded Orochi. "I believe you can do this!"

At her words, the sake began to glow a bright gold, flowing long past the point where the jar should have been empty to fill the entire moat.

"Glittering gold sake..." whispered Issun disbelievingly. "Is that... is that Eight Purification Sake?"

_**Yes, it is, **_said Amaterasu, a feral glint in her eyes. _**This time, Orochi, you won't be coming back.**_

"Susano and Kushi made a miracle happen! Time to work your magic, furballs!"

We both nodded, and leapt into action, ready for a battle that would shake the foundations of the earth itself.

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**A/N: **Did I mention I loved writing this chapter? Hopefully almost as much as you would love clicking that button down there to review.


	12. Snakes and Festivals

**A/N: ***Lazarus Project'd* Uh... hi, guys. It's been a while, and I'm really sorry about that, but my life was absolutely hectic, and when it wasn't, it got sucked into the game known as Mass Effect 2. Anyway, here (finally!) is Chapter 12 of Antithesis. Save for the end of the chapter, I'm okay with it; seeing as how it's been a ridiculously long time since I updated, I couldn't contact my original beta, so I just re-read it myself. I'm a little bit rusty, and I hope to have the rust shaken off by next chapter (which theoretically shouldn't take more than a month or two to write...). Anyway....

Amaterasu's Vassal: No need to be dramatic! It's here!

Lunar dragon (and to everyone else): Yes, I do plan to continue this fanfic.

OkamiLuver: Yeah, but I've got mixed opinions on the game. It's not the Okami 2 we were hoping for, but it could be okay on its own merits, I guess.

krourou2: 'Shinryu' means 'Divine dragon' or 'death dragon,' depending on where you look.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Okami's characters, only my own.

Reminder: One of Orochi's heads was taken out last chapter.

Without further ado....

**

* * *

**

**Antithesis**

**Chapter 12: Snakes and Festivals**

The moment Orochi's eight heads reared back to strike, Amaterasu sprang forward, tail whipping furiously underneath the cloudy sky. Eight streams of water burst forth from the wells surrounding Orochi's heads, seeking the great maws of the beast. Eight Purification Sake slid around Orochi's jaws as he kept them shut tight. "Did you really think the same trick would work on me twice?" rumbled Fire, letting loose an inferno that scorched the stones beneath as it snaked toward me.

_Yes, _I said, and called for the North Wind to chill the raging fires in front of me. The frigid gusts did their work, turning the roaring flames into whimpering embers. A lone memory drifted into my mind, filled with the same rampaging flames and smoke that had threatened to engulf me only seconds earlier. Sixteen pairs of golden eyes glared in my mind's eye as those flames dissipated in the same way they had years ago. _You don't remember all those times we sparred, do you? _I said, and slammed my scythe into the demon's outstretched neck. It shuddered once, then collapsed, its eyes completely white. Orochi's other seven heads snarled menacingly at me.

"I am stronger than you could ever -"

_Oh, shut it. _I whipped my tail back and forth, unleashing several Wicked Claws on Poison's head. They passed through Orochi's protective aura, striking at the exposed neck beneath. Flakes of golden scales dropped away to reveal soft, pudgy flesh as Poison's head whipped around to spew rotting plants into the air around me. Before I could call forth the canvas for the Abyssal Brush, the plants burst to life, scattering pink petals into the air. Nodding at Amaterasu, I charged at Water as she dredged up more Eight Purification Sake to force into Poison's open maw. With a groan, Poison plummeted to the ground. I didn't need to see the goddess to know that she'd take care of the third of Orochi's heads with ease. I frowned as Water summoned torrents of water that cascaded from its mouth to fill the battleground in mere seconds. My muscles were at ease despite my constant movements; the energy coursing through me hadn't even begun to subside, filling my limbs with an even greater strength than before. This was too easy. Orochi had been stronger than this, once; despite my hazy memories, my body could tell that this was not the true Demon of the Eight Heads. I knew Orochi wouldn't hold back in this battle, especially with Amaterasu fighting, so why did his strength seem lacking? A sudden thought struck me. Perhaps a century long slumber had reduced his power to this decrepit state? I grinned as a lilypad sprung to life beneath me, lifting me above the water. If Orochi had not yet regained his former strength, then this fight wouldn't last long. A loud rumble shook the arena as another one of Orochi's heads smashed into the ground.

_You work fast, _I called to Amaterasu as the winds of the north swept me to Water's waiting head.

_**And you work much slower than I remember.**_ There was a hint of amusement in her ambrosial voice that I couldn't help but smile at. Despite the seriousness of battle, she was enjoying herself. Where had all her anger gone? I made a mental note to ask her after Orochi had fallen as Water swiftly snaked his head toward me.

"I am but the vanguard of Nippon's demise," it hissed, and lashed out at me, trying to catch me in-between its jaws. I bounded onto its head, digging my scythe into Water's golden scales as it fought to shake me off. "Lord Verel will only send the rest if I fall, you know that, Shinryu! They have more power than you could hope to comprehend!" With a violent jerk, Water threw me off, nailing me with a stream of scalding water that pinned me to the ground. "And what of Lady Ninetails? She will _very _displeased at your choice of companions," continued Water.

_Ninetails? _Despite the pain, I flicked my tail to the slide. The jet of water came to a halt as Water reared back, my Wicked Claw cutting past his scales. _What about her? _

Water stared at me, perplexed. "You mean you don't remember?" It paused. "I have said too much, then."

_Well, if you're not going to tell me…_ I leapt into the air, bringing Fleeting Spirit crashing down onto Orochi's head. _I'll be going. That makes five heads… three to go. _A loud thud reverberated through the air signifying Earth's descent into unconsciousness. Orochi's two remaining heads bunched together, eying the two wolves before them warily.

_**Only Light and Thunder remain, but I doubt they will fall as easily as their brothers, **_warned Amaterasu. I nodded. With all three heads in such a small area, it would be difficult to attack one of them without the threat of retaliation.

_What do you suggest we do, then? _I asked as I loped up to her.

_**Do you see the bell atop Orochi? **_

I blinked. _Yes, why? _

_**When it rings, attack Thunder. I will take Light. **_

_What? _My question fell on deaf ears as the bell began to toll from the strikes of multiple Power Slashes. Both Thunder and Light shifted their gaze to it for a moment, but a moment was all Amaterasu needed. By the time their eyes had settled on the bell, she was already halfway to Light, her reflector crackling with energy. I shook my head and sprinted for Thunder, scythe at the ready. _A little more warning would have been nice,_ I grumbled, even as Fleeting Spirit carved into Thunder's head without a sound. Two thuds later, Amaterasu and I landed on the cracked stone tiles, surveying the eight fallen heads of Orochi with satisfaction. Before we had even taken a step toward Kushi and Susano, they rose from the ground, seething with fury.

_**Susano must finish this, **_said Amaterasu, and at once we turned to the would-be warrior who stood in front of Orochi with eyes born of fire and iron. Nothing, especially Orochi's seductive words, would stop him now.

"The time has come! O sacred moon of the heavens, come forth and pierce this darkness!" shouted Susano, and hefted his sword to the cloudy sky. "Bear witness to the beast's demise upon my trusty sword Tohenboku!"

"Did he say moon?" asked Issun. I nodded, remembering the legend of Nagi.

"Right! The legend says the moon was shining when Nagi slew Orochi!"

_Ready?_ I eyed Amaterasu, who smiled.

_**Always. **_The two of us threw our heads back and howled. As if in response, the clouds drew themselves apart to expose the heavens, the moon oddly absent from its place in the sky. With a flick of her tail, the crescent moon rose into the sky, its white light casting an eerie glow on the battlefield. I looked at Susano's sword expectantly, waiting for the blade to glow with power.

Nothing happened. I turned to Amaterasu, confused.

_What's going on?_

_**It's not enough, **_said Amaterasu. _**The power of Crescent will not empower Susano's blade, not after he gave in to Orochi's request. You will have to use Moonrise, Shinryu. **_

_What? _I stared at her in confusion. _What are you talking about? _

_**You are my antithesis, **_she said, and there was an urgency to her voice that bound me fast. _**Just as I can call forth the sun, so can you bring the moon into the starry sky. **_

_I still don't know… _I trailed off as memories floated, unbidden, into my mind. The faint image of a full circle tugged at my consciousness, seeking to be fulfilled -- and suddenly, I remembered. Moonrise, the brush technique to summon the full moon, was mine and mine alone. I raised my tail, and as always, the canvas dropped into place. With care, I drew a full circle into the night sky. Atop the crescent moon emerged the whole, its purifying light shining down on Susano's blade. The sword vanished in a blaze of light. In its place was a majestic golden blade, its edges glowing with the same golden aura. A pink flower had been embedded into the hilt, while its edges had been adorned with onyx.

"Susano-Style Blade of Truth!" yelled Susano, bringing his newfound blade to its place in his battle stance.

"You'd better help him, furballs; I don't know if that sword's gonna be enough," warned Issun. Amaterasu and I nodded in agreement.

_As if we wouldn't. _

Amaterasu chuckled at the comment, but turned to face Orochi, eyes bright.

"GOOD! WILL! NEVER! GIVE! IN! TO! EVIL!" huffed the warrior as he commenced his attack on Orochi, striking at seven of the eight-headed beast's waiting necks. Seven serpentine heads fell to the ground, severed by Susano's blade and the combined strength of Power Slash and Wicked Claw. Fire looked at his severed necks in shock. "How…?" he rasped at me. When no response came, he threw his head back and roared in frustration.

"Ammy, Shin, what are you waiting for? Finish it off!" Issun hopped up and down on Amaterasu's snout, his aura flickering between shades of light green and crimson.

"No! I don't need either of you to help me this time!" Susano stepped in front of us, heaving his sword up to shoulder level. "Now for the ultimate in Susano-Style martial arts! Celestial Cleaver!" With a cry, the warrior leapt into the air and rent Fire in two. The halves fell to either side, marking the true, final end of Orochi.

Had I been human, I would have whistled. _I'm impressed. He finished Orochi off on his own._

_**I would expect nothing less from the descendant of Nagi**_. Amaterasu looked over at Kushi. The sake brewer hesitantly stood before Susano, her hands held before her chest. Before she could speak, Susano fell to his knees, words pouring from his mouth. "Dearest Kushi... Just as you devote your life to sake brewing, the way of the sword is all I know…" Susano swallowed, his voice thick with emotion. "Yet I have failed, for I unleashed that foul beast upon the world. I allowed evil to cloud my judgment and gave it the power to destroy Nippon. Who am I to claim the right to wield a sword now? Alas, there is no reason for me to live!"

_He's certainly taking it hard. Not that he doesn't deserve to, mind you, but 'alas, there is no reason for me to live?' _I quoted in disbelief.

_**As I said before… such theatrics aren't necessary. **_Amaterasu turned to Kushi, who was shaking her head.

"Oh, Susano," she sighed, and tugged at his arm until he stood up from the ground. "Why do you look so serious? Come on! Laugh like you normally do!"

Susano said nothing, staring at the ground. Kushi smiled, lifting his chin up until he was looking straight at her.

"Looking like that is what makes monsters turn up."

I snorted, holding back my laughter for Kushi's sake. _Ouch. _

"So come on! Laugh!" she urged. "Laugh like you do when you help me harvest the rice every year!"

Susano remained silent, and for a moment I thought that he would never say another word. Then his expression slowly softened until the lazy warrior we all knew was standing before us. Susano let out a chuckle that grew into a bout of raucous laughter.

_It seems like they'll be fine, _I said, and turned to Amaterasu. I hesitated, pawing at the ground absently. How would I even begin to talk about what had happened before the fight with Orochi?

Seeing my uncertainty, the goddess padded over and nudged me with her snout. _**We will talk later, **_she said gently. _**Now is a time for celebration, not explanations. **_

_I… you're right. Thank you, Amaterasu. _

Issun hopped up and down on the ground. "Okay! Ammy, Shin, I think it's time for your famous victory howls!"

As though we'd planned it all along, Amaterasu and I threw our heads back and howled. A long, triumphant howl echoed across Orochi's final resting place as cherry blossom petals rained down from the heavens. The moon's cleansing light swept over my form as the howls died away, filling my limbs with renewed strength. I lowered my head in awe. Not since the Tsuta Ruins had Amaterasu and I howled like that, but something had changed; our howls were completely in sync, bringing a sense of majesty to it that I had never imagined possible. Victory howl completed, Issun made his was back onto my snout and into my fur. I turned to look at Orochi's corpse. After thousands of years, the Demon of the Eight Heads had finally met his demise. A comrade-turned-enemy, gone forever. I shook my head. Orochi had tried to kill me more than once; any reflection on my part would be honoring his memory by acknowledging his terrible existence. But some part of me persisted, searching for memories that lay hidden beneath the blanket of fog that held them in captivity.

_"Orochi, why do you plan?" I sat beneath the great demon, my tail swishing back and forth. _

_"Why? Not all of us have been blessed with power, Shinryu. Some of us must work to achieve our own ends. I cannot stroll onto the Celestial Plain and challenge the sun goddess to a duel, as you so frequently do." The bitterness in Orochi's tone was all too apparent. "Leave me be, Shinryu." _

_"And why do you kill?"_

_Four pairs of eyes stared back at me. "For the same reasons you do. Because it's fun. Because the screaming of the suffering gives me pleasure. Because Lord Verel commands it. Is that not enough?" he snapped. _

_I nodded. "I thought as much. You've no competitive edge, Orochi." _

_"'Competitive edge'?" It repeated, and growled. "Why should I compete when I know I'll lose?"_

_"Because it's fun? Because wanton destruction is our specialty? Because competition makes you stronger? And because you'll never live the embarrassment down if you don't accept my challenge?"_

_All eight heads lashed out at me. I calmly took one step backwards, Orochi's jaws missing me by mere inches. "Curse you, Shinryu!"_

_"Why thank you, Orochi. You're the hundredth being to do so today." _

_"Shut up," it growled. "What competition do you have in mind?"_

_"Simple, really. Destroy as much as you can in one day."_

_"A day?" scoffed Orochi. "That's a strange limit. Why a day?"_

_I smirked. "That's for me to prove that I'm better than you." _

The memory vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Had I really been like that? The arrogance, the bloodlust, the love of pure and simple destruction was dumbfounding to me now. I blinked, and turned to follow Amaterasu out of the shrine. That memory no longer mattered; it -- like Orochi -- was a part of the past. I was no longer like that, nor would I ever be again.

_Hey, Orochi? Consider the contest won. _And with that, I was gone.

"Whoa!" exclaimed the artist as a large firework detonated in the night sky, casting red and yellow lights over us. "That must've been one of Tama's fireworks. Wonder if the villagers already found out that Orochi's dead?"

_Probably not. It's just the festival, after all. _

_**Have you been commenting on Issun's remarks our entire journey? **_asked Amaterasu, a twinkle in her eyes.

_Yep. I'd say I had couple of good ones, too. Is it just me, or can Issun be dense sometimes? _

_**Sometimes, **_agreed the goddess. _**But his heart is in the right place, at the very least. **_

"Oh, I know!" The Poncle turned to us, his aura a bright shade of green. "It must be the festival! They just started the annual Kamiki Festival! Oh, YEAH! Time to party, furballs! Back to the village! Hurry!"

_**Shall we race? **_Amaterasu looked over her shoulder at me, the mischief all too apparent in her voice.

_What about Susano and Kushi? _I asked, glancing over at the couple. They were ambling along the edge of Shinshi Field, deep in their own conversation.

_**Orochi's defeat seems to have driven the monsters into hiding. I have no doubt that they'll return, but for now, Kushi and Susano will be fine. **_

_Alright, _I relented, and grinned. _Last one there has to seek out the other! _As soon as I'd spoken the words, Amaterasu was off, her reflector drawing in energy from the winds to amplify her own speed. Coupled with the power she'd gained from Kazegami, I knew that there was no way I'd catch her before she reached Kamiki, not even if I burned every bit of energy I had to spare. Part of me remembered that even at our peaks, Amaterasu had always been faster. I mentally shrugged and broke into a run. Just because she would beat me didn't mean I could slack off. Passing Susano and Kushi, I made my way through the field, keeping an eye out for monsters. As Amaterasu had said, there were none; it was strange, not seeing bands of imps roaming the countryside, but it was also a welcome change. Without them, the plains were beautiful, the moonlight casting a ghostly shade of white over the ground and trees. The rocks looked like diamonds beneath the starry sky, and the Guardian Sapling shone with a radiant light that illuminated half the plains. Distracted by the scenery, I jerked back in surprise as the rows of cherry blossoms leading to Kamiki met my eyes. I sighed. It was a shame that I'd have to leave the plains so soon, but the demons would likely stay away for a day or two. There would be plenty of time to see Shinshu Plains in all their glory tomorrow along with Amaterasu.

The first thing that caught my eye as I entered Kamiki was the small bouncing orb of green light by the merchant stand. "Heya Shin!" greeted Issun. "Ammy's gone off toward Sakuya's tree. Now that you're here, let's party hearty!" finished the Poncle, and bounded off toward the sake mill.

_'Party hearty?' _I echoed, and sighed. _Issun will never change, will he? _Not that I wanted him to. We did need some humor for the days ahead, after all. I made my way toward Sakuya's tree, wondering what Amaterasu could possibly be doing up there. Most of the celebrations, with the exception of the fireworks, were taking place in the center of the village. I nodded as I passed Karude and his son, both too busy dancing to really notice me. Beside them, Mr. Orange was performing some variation of the Konohana Shuffle while Mrs. Orange and Mushi looked on in awe. My focus turned back to Amaterasu. Perhaps she was taking in the view of the festival from above? I bounded up to the observation platform, only to find it empty. Maybe she wanted to talk to Sakuya? That thought vanished as I spotted the goddess sitting by herself near the great tree, looking up at the stars.

_You're not enjoying the festivities, _I remarked, and sat down beside her, tail swishing in time with the beat of the songs.

_**I am, **_objected Amaterasu, and turned to look at me. _**I simply needed time to...**_

..._ think, _I finished, and nodded. _So did I. A lot has happened in such a short amount of time..._

_**I know exactly what you mean.**_

_So... are you going to say it, or should I? _I said finally, tearing my gaze off of the tree to look at Amaterasu.

_**Is there a point to it? We both know how we feel...**_ The goddess rested her head against my own.

_True. _Neither of us said anything for a while, content to watch the fireworks and the celebration down below. _You know... _I wrapped my tail around hers._ This reminds me of that night in Agata Forest. _

_**Mm. I... cannot thank you enough for that, **_said the goddess.

_You... looked like you just needed someone beside you, _I replied, silently thankful we couldn't read each other's minds. If I had my way, she would never know that I had heard the conversation between herself and Waka. Had that been the point when I had begun to fall hopelessly in love with her?

_**I did.**_

_Then I'm glad I was there, _I said. Amaterasu turned to look at me, a curious look in her eyes.

_**You… are not the same Shinryu I remember, **_she said slowly. I froze. What did she mean by that?

_**You were brasher, coarser, crueler, more arrogant, completely driven by bloodlust,**_ she continued. I flinched. That was what she had meant. It was true, of course; the memory of my conversation with Orochi was proof enough of that. A small smile graced her muzzle. _**Do not worry; the past is in the past. I much prefer you this way. **_

_That's good, _I said, relieved. _I prefer me this way, as well. _A sudden thought struck me. _Amaterasu… do you know how I died? _

The goddess was silent for a minute, her eyes wandering from the village to Sakuya's tree and back again. _Yes, _she whispered. _Yes, I do. _

_Can you tell me?_ I asked. She fell silent once more.

_**I'm sorry, **_she said finally, and there was regret etched into her amber eyes. _**It will be better if you discover the truth for yourself. **_

_I… see. _Disappointed, I set that thought aside and turned to another one. _Then, at the very least, could you tell me why your anger vanished as we fought with Orochi? _

She cocked her head to one side. _**I would have thought you capable of figuring this out. **_

_Nope. I'm at a loss. _

_**My relief at seeing you alive overrode my anger, **_she replied. _**The observation that your own strength was suddenly equal to my own also helped to calm me. I no longer needed to worry about your safety. **_

_Ah. _Now that I thought about it, that was fairly obvious. How had I not thought of it before?

_**And now, may I ask a question of you?**_

I nodded. _Sure. _

_**What happened after the stones collapsed on top of you? **_she asked, and I sighed. How would I explain this one?

_It's… difficult to explain, _I began slowly. _My soul… it was split into two parts when I died, I guess. One remained here in Nippon, while the other… was off in its own, different world. _I paused in my explanation to make sure she was following. When she nodded, I continued on. _When I made the choice to stay in Nippon, the other half of my soul fled from that world to join its twin here. _

The goddess was silent for a minute, digesting the information I'd revealed to her. _**I understand, **_she said, and smiled. _**Thank you for the answer.**_

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. _You're not in the least bit bothered by this? The whole split soul merged into one idea? _I asked, surprised.

_**You're here. That's all that matters, **_she said simply. I smiled back. Who was I to argue with a goddess? Neither of us said anything for the rest of the night, content to simply watch the festivities. It was only when celebration had begun to down that I spoke once more.

_Amaterasu?_

_**Yes?**_

_We should get some rest. It's a long road ahead._

_**You're right. **_Moving several paces away, she curled up underneath Sakuya's tree. One amber eye remained open, looking at me meaningfully. Without a word, I lay down beside her.

_**Good night, Shinryu. **_

_Good night, Amaterasu… _I paused, an old yet new phrase at tip of my tongue._ And may the light of the moon always watch over you in the dark of night. _Amaterasu had watched over me as I had struggled to survive, protecting me when I needed it. As I drifted off to sleep, a single thought passed through my mind.

It was my turn to return the favor.

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**A/N: **Love it? Hate it? Push the button below to tell me! Also, To Love A Goddess, a oneshot addition to Antithesis, is up!


	13. Power

**A/N: Wow. Has it really been over a year since I updated this? I never meant to make anyone wait this long, but I had a lot of crises come up in real life that have kept me occupied for the past year or so. Couple that with schoolwork and... well, you get the idea. I haven't written anything besides essays since the last chapter, so I was a little hesitant to come back and finish this, but then the music for Ryoshima Coast came on on iTunes and things just kind of went from there. Hopefully I can get back into a normal routine, but I honestly don't know. I do have the final chapters and plot points written and stored though. Anyway, to those of you still reading, thank you for your patience, and here's the next chapter!**

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**Antithesis**

**Chapter 13: Power**

_The darkness wrapped in and around the cottage, snuffing out the light that dared to poke its way through the shuttered blinds. I tensed. "Keep the light out, if for only another minute," I whispered to the darkness. It obliged, blocking the light completely. Beside me, another form shifted, opening one bleary eye to look at me._

_"Shinryu?" came her sleepy voice, silver and smooth in the darkness._

_"Yes?"_

_"Hurry and kill Amaterasu, will you? I'm beginning to tire of sunlight sneaking through the darkness to us."_

_I grunted and turned to look at the fox beside me with annoyance. Despite being Yami's right hand, which by all rights should have kept her busy - and away from me - she somehow found time to spare. There never seemed to be a day where she hadn't napped near me or struck up a conversation. It was strangely endearing. So endearing, in fact, that it left me feeling nauseated more often than not. Harbingers of Darkness were not _supposed _to feel anything; relentless killing machines were all we were. What use were feelings when everything turned to ash beneath your feet? It was only when she turned to head to look at me, head cocked to one side, that I realized I hadn't responded yet. _

_I rolled my eyes. "I'm working on it. She's much tougher than I had anticipated; never before have I faced someone as powerful as her."_

_She sniffed, batting me with one of her tails. I glared at her. _

"_Never do that again, Ninetails, or you will find that you should change your name to Eighttails."_

_She snorted. "Please, Shinryu, respect my intelligence. We both know neither Yami nor Verel would allow infighting among their ranks." _

_I ground my teeth, but said nothing. What could I say? She was correct. Any action other than threats toward allies was met with punishment, and a punishment from Verel was something we all strove to avoid. The prospect of soul torturing was a brilliant deterrent. _

"_Enough of the threats. Why do you sound as if you respect that petty goddess?"_

_I blinked. Did I? She was powerful, yes, and where power was, so was my respect… no matter what side that power chose to align herself with. "I do." _

_"What?" she growled. "Her? Why? She's your antithesis, Shinryu! She's everything that we abhor, that we strive to ruin!" Ninetails bristled._

_"That doesn't mean I don't respect her as a fellow warrior. Her strength is impressive. As is yours," I replied._

_She huffed, but said nothing. I stared at her._

_"Are you… jealous, Ninetails?" _

_"Never," she spat, and turned away from me. I laughed in wonderment. _

_"Yami's right hand is jealous of a useless goddess! How can this be?" I grinned as she swatted me with one of her tails. _

_"Shut up, Shinryu." _

_"So that's how it is," I said, and frowned. First Ninetails wanted to spend time to me, and now she was jealous of Amaterasu. I could see the dots, but the line connecting them was missing, and I was determined to find out what it was. "What is it you want exactly? Lately you've taken to spend time around me. Let me make this very clear:_ no one_ spends time with me unless they want something from me. So what is it? Power? Glory? I can't give you those, and you've plenty of both." _

_"No." The fox stood and began to pace. "Understand that this situation is far from ideal. I despise attachments of any sort," she began. "This was never supposed to happen."_

_"Wait, what?" I stared at her in puzzlement. She was making no sense. Though a brilliant tactician on the battlefield, her explanations off it left something to be desired. "What are you talking about?"_

_"Don't you toy with me," she growled. "You know _exactly _what I mean. Don't force me to say the words or I will make you regret it, Shinryu."_

_I blinked, dismissing the threat with an absent flick of my tail. "So you mean -" I stopped, the seeds of realization bursting to life. "That would explain why you sought me out. I don't do relationships, Ninetails." I paused. "And even if I wanted to, Verel would never permit it."_

_"Do you think I would bring this up if he hadn't permitted it?" She swallowed and turned to face me once more. "So. Now we are at an impasse."_

"_No. We are at an end. This conversation is over." As I turned to leave, the fox's tails branched out, forming a living cage that trapped me inside. _

"_This conversation is over when _I _say it is over, and not a moment before," she snapped. I growled, but stepped away from the exit. _

"_I suppose there's no harm in hearing you ramble about feelings. Feelings that we were never supposed to have in the first place."_

"_Shinryu, so help me -" Ninetails cut herself off and took a deep breath, letting it out in slow amounts. "You can be so _aggravating_ at times. If you're done with your smart remarks?" _

_I remained silent. _

"_Well then. Are you willing to at least consider this? Or try?" she asked. _

_I regarded her with careful dispassion. It wasn't as if I didn't find her attractive; after all, the power she wielded was second only to mine and Verel's, and she displayed a cruelty on the battlefield that was quite appealing. Of course, she was attractive in other ways as well, but those were trivial. Only power mattered, and in terms of power, she would be a good match. At last, I nodded. "Very well, so long as you refrain from dramatics."_

_"I was hoping you'd say that." Ninetails got to her feet, her tails retracting from their places to brush against me. I shivered at her touch, wary of the hungry look in her coal eyes. _

_"And why would that be?" I asked, but already the answer danced in my mind. _

_"There's something I've been wanting to do for a _very _long time."_

_"Well then." I grinned. "I'm not one to keep a lady waiting."_

I awoke with a start, bolting upright before I realized where I was. Amaterasu slept next to me, the sun only a sliver above the horizon. I sighed. My first night of actual sleep, uninterrupted by the jarring transition between two worlds, with a goddess as company, and it had been plagued by a nightmare._ Or was it a memory? _I frowned and wandered into the village to sit by the river. Orochi had said that Ninetails would be angry that I traveled with Amaterasu. Now I knew why. Ninetails and I had been together, once. I strained to remember more, but to no end; the memories I wanted were always out of reach, it seemed. Then again, it wasn't as if I had expected them to come flooding back at once. My soul, essence, whatever one wished to call it, had only just united. It would take time for the halves to merge, to redo the seams that had been torn apart at my death. Until then, I'd have to make do with what little I remembered. _Not that there's anything good to remember, _I thought. Oh yes, there were my memories of combat and of Verel's servants, my once-allies turned enemies we now faced; those were useful. But along with those were memories of nothing but death and destruction, of strife and bloodlust, and some twisted version of a relationship. I shook my head. There was nothing more to say here; I'd already come to terms with what I'd done in the past.

If nothing else, I had Will's - my - memories from Earth. I could feel that part of me stirring, itching for a conversation, but I forced it back down. While part of me never belonged on Earth, the other half was already mourning its former life there. There would be time for consolation and banter later; now, I had to focus on the journey ahead. According to the original game, Amaterasu and I would be heading to Ryoshima Coast… and Ninetails. I grimaced. _Not exactly who I'd hoped to be fighting next, but it's not like I can choose here._ My thoughts were broken by the sight of a glowing green nimbus of light bouncing towards me.

"Man, there's nothin' like a good festival," yawned Issun. "I used to go to festivals all the time back home…" He sighed and looked over at me. "Oh, uh... I wasn't thinking about my mommy or anything like that!"

I blinked. _Sure, Issun. I bet you weren't thinking of any of the pretty girls at those festivals either._

As always, Issun continued on, oblivious to my thoughts. "Anyway, why don't we go wake Ammy?" The Poncle hopped onto my nose as I nodded in agreement. There was no point in loitering in the village anymore; other provinces called for our help.

_Sounds like a good idea. _I loped back up the path to the goddess' sleeping form, nudging her with my snout. _Rise and shine. _The sun seemed to flare, blanketing the area with light as Amaterasu woke from her slumber. _I didn't mean that literally, _I grumbled, and suppressed a small chuckle. The goddess got to her feet, regarding me with mischief in her eyes.

_**Then you should say as such next time, **_she said.

_But 'rise and shine, but not literally shine' is a mouthful, don't you think? _I replied.

_**Not at all. **_

I rolled my eyes and started down the path that led out of the village, Amaterasu by my side. _I didn't know you had a sarcastic side._

_**I didn't, until I met you, **_she admitted. _**However, it's not something I would wish to use every day. **_

_So you're saying I'm a bad influence?_

_**What? No, I simply - **_she stopped as I burst into a fit of laughter.

_Relax, I was joking. Shall we get going?_ At Amaterasu's nod, we set off down the road as Kamiki's inhabitants began to stir, shaking off the post-festival sluggishness to return to their daily routines. I snorted as I spotted Susano, still sound asleep near what served as his training area. Then again, after what he'd been through recently, I couldn't blame him for wanting some rest. I let out a sigh. In truth, I was envious. As far as I knew, Susano's role was over; there would be no more challenges for him to face other than keeping Kushi and Kamiki safe from the stray band of imps. He could live a normal life, without fear of what lay ahead for him. My own future, and possibly Amaterasu's, was still uncertain, the frayed edges of fate's tapestry slowly weaving themselves together as we ventured into the unknown. I shook my head. _Too much introspection is bad, _I reminded myself, and turned to Amaterasu as we passed into Shinshu Field. _So, where are we going now? _I asked, already knowing the answer.

_**We must go past Agata to reach Ryoshima Coast, **_answered Amaterasu. _**With my strength returning I can feel the faint presences of three Brush Gods… and something else. **_

I blinked. _What do you mean by 'something else?'_

If it were possible for a wolf to frown, Amaterasu would have done so. _**There is something on the wind; it reeks of ash and fire, and the strength behind it… It has been many years since I have last felt power of this magnitude. **_Those amber eyes fixed themselves squarely on me. _**The last being yours, of course. **_

_I… see. _Ash and fire were Ninetails' realm, but so many things had deviated from Will's knowledge of the events that had already transpired that I had to wonder if it would even be Ninetails waiting for us at Ryoshima. _We will have to be careful, then. There's no telling what Verel and Yami have waiting for us on the road ahead. _

She nodded, her eyes sweeping the area for any stray bands of roaming demons. But as she'd predicted last night, not a single group dared to show their pallid faces in the daylight. My paws twitched and my ears drooped in slight disappointment at the lack of enemies to test my abilities on. With both halves of my soul united, the power coursing through me demanded some sort of release. The tendrils on either side of my form whipped back and forth through the air, lightning arcing from one to the other as I strode forward, holding in the urge to run laps around the field with some difficulty. Amaterasu watched this display, concern etched on her features, but followed me in silence as I made my way to Agata Forest at breakneck pace. It was only when we'd entered the forest that my patience frayed, the call to do _something _becoming too much to bear, and my tail whipped forward, calling forth the Abyssal Brush on the mountainside. Destruction erased the ledge that supported several boulders, sending them hurtling toward the ground, and us. Less than a second later, two of the boulders had been sliced into thin geodes by Wicked Claw. Before any of the falling shards had touched the ground I'd sprung into the air and split the last one in two with Fleeting Spirit. I landed on all fours amid the sprinkling of rock shards, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I turned to Amaterasu — and jumped backwards as Divine Retribution tore through the earth where my paws had stood only seconds earlier.

_What are you doing? _I yelled as the goddess advanced, her reflector clanging off of my scythe as I parried the incoming blow. Before I could react she was spinning in the air, the divine flames dancing around her weapon searing the air around me. I involuntarily stepped back and spun my scythe in front of me, creating a chilling gust to ward off the oppressive heat.

_**It's clear you're relearning the extent of your abilities, **_said Amaterasu as she soared over me to land on all fours, flowers sprouting fully bloomed around her. _**And the only way you can do that is through battle. I will not have you fighting demons when you cannot restrain yourself from using your full power. **_

_And how exactly is that a bad thing? _I growled, leaping into the air to unleash a blast of Destruction that glanced off the goddess and tore through several saplings. Mikaboshi's power smashed into the rocks behind them, pulverizing them into fine grains of dust.

_**If there are innocents around, do you truly believe yourself capable of leaving them unharmed? **_countered Amaterasu as her Power Slash knocked me out of the air and sent me sprawling across the forest floor. I rolled to one side, staying just outside the reach of the enchanted vines the Celestial Brush had conjured to snare me. With a single Wicked Claw, the vines exploded into torrents of ink that rained down onto the otherworldly canvas. Dozens upon dozens of rose petals fell from the sky, obscuring the white wolf from view. I spun in every direction, waiting for her to strike as I pondered her words. With a swipe of the Abyssal Brush, Silverwisp propelled me into the air and into the canopy of one of the many ancient trees of Agata. As I landed on a branch, the trail of webbing exploded, forming thick spiderwebs that wrapped themselves between the branches. I blanched. Silverwisp had never done that before, and Destruction had never continued through its intended target. Maybe Amaterasu had a point. My power was manifesting itself stronger than I knew it could.

_You may be right, _I conceded, even as a gust from Galestorm knocked me off my perch and sent me spiraling toward the ground. _I could use the workout, and it will reacquaint us with each other's fighting styles._ I spun in the air, twisting my body this way and that to dodge the rosary beads that flew past my snout.

_**Ah, **_began Amaterasu, and I groaned, the amusement in her voice all too apparent.

_Why do I get the strange feeling that you know what I can do better than I can? _I groused as her rosary beads smacked into me on a return trip I hadn't been expecting.

_**That would be because I still remember your abilities, **_she replied. I rolled onto my feet and followed the beads through the rose petals that continued to flutter downward, trusting that they knew where their mistress was. The instant a glaive came arcing down at me, I bolted out of the way, calling on the North Wind to blast both the petals and the goddess back. As the petals withered and died underneath the frigid gusts, Amaterasu pressed forward, the flames radiating from her reflector flaring to counteract the chilly air that attempted to bind her to the ground. A towering Inferno snaked its way towards me from the embers of a nearby campfire, weaving around the tree trunks to strike at me. Another blast from the North Wind and the flames dissipated to reveal a glaive poised to strike. With a yelp, I flipped over the outstretched blade. Before she could raise her glaive to strike at me once more, I gathered the remnants of the North Wind, shielding myself with its cooling power, and tackled the goddess. With a fizzle, the gusts of frigid air and heat clashed and vanished, leaving nothing between us as I slammed into the white wolf. We tumbled on the ground, grappling for control, until at last I pinned her to the ground, Fleeting Spirit and my jaws leveled at her throat.

_We're done, _I panted, and stepped off of Amaterasu, letting her get to her feet. To my surprise, she appeared to be out of breath as well.

_**I retract my previous statement, **_came her tired voice. Padding over to the edge of the lake, she lay down, those golden eyes appraising me. At last, she nodded. _**You… fight much differently now, are more creative with how you use your powers. **_She paused._** Do you mind if we rest for a moment? **_

_Of course not, _I replied, and lay down beside her. _You think I'm not tired as well? I wasn't holding back. _

_**Neither was I. **_She sighed and turned to me. _**Your strength has surpassed my own, for the moment.**_

I blinked. _Wait, what? That can't be right. You're stronger than I am…_

But the goddess was already shaking her head. _**Your power has always come from you, Shinryu, while mine comes from the faith of the people. And as the people's faith wanes… **_

_So does your power, _I finished. _Don't worry. People will begin to believe in you again… just give them time. _

One golden orb peered at me. _**Time is something I fear we do not have… but enough of this. Do you have a better grasp of your limits now?**_

I closed my eyes, assessing the energies that coursed through my veins. Though much of it had been burned to battle Amaterasu, what remained was calmer, more obedient to my own whims. I opened my eyes. _I think so. We'll know for certain in a little while, I guess -_

"What's the holdup, furballs?" I nearly leapt up in surprise as Issun wormed his way out of Amaterasu's fur and let out a yawn. I stared at him. How we'd forgotten about the Poncle while we'd fought was beyond me, but even more mystifying was the fact that he appeared to have no idea what had transpired since we'd entered the forest. A sudden thought occurred to me.

_Has he been sleeping this whole time?_

_**I believe so. **_

_Unbelievable. _I shook my head. _As much as I'd like to know how he managed to stay sleeping, he does have a point; if we want to reach Ryoshima by nightfall, we should get moving. _I moved to get up, when a flash of yellow and white movement caught my eye. A strange tingling sensation ran down my spine as I spun to find the offending source. The tingling intensified as I scanned the treetops for any sign of the mysterious visitor. Amaterasu got to her feet, her eyes narrowing as she too began to search her surroundings.

_**Something is here, Shinryu, and it is building up its power, **_warned Amaterasu. I nodded, about to reply, when the scent of ash and scorched earth wafted past my nostrils. My memory screamed at me even as I felt the discharge of energy. With no time to shout a warning to Amaterasu, I slammed the side of Fleeting Spirit into her, shoving both her and a very surprised Poncle into the water. A suffocating, oppressive heat pinned me to the ground not seconds later. I struggled to lift my tail even as a cold, angry voice shouted words that chilled me to the bone.

"Breathe your last, Shinryu, and turn to ash!"

And the world around me exploded into flame.

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**A/N: I'll just leave this button down here.**


	14. Flames

**Author's Note: **So I've been wondering if it's even been worth posting this. It's been a very long time (2 years, I think?) since I last wrote anything for this story. Not one, but two viruses wiped my original hard drive along with the 3 new chapters I had just completed. That, along with other real life issues, led to me not having the time or willpower to really write.

Just recently I had gotten a couple of reviews reminding me that there were still people who read this story and would like to see it finished. So I pulled up a very old backup that I had (we're talking Chapter 6 here) and decided that if I felt I could still write a good enough ending to this, then I would. Thanks to everyone who reviewed over the years and encouraged me to keep going. :)

* * *

**Antithesis**

**Chapter 14: Flames**

Purple fire roared around me, incinerating trees and scorching the ground with its terrible power. I grunted but forced myself to remain upright even as the flames licked at my sides, singeing my fur. It swirled around me, forming a fiery tornado that tightened until the flames were everywhere. Darkness began to creep around the edges of my vision as I struggled to keep conscious. The fire - _foxfire, _my mind whispered - wasn't painful. Oddly enough, it was comforting, almost as if Ninetails were trying to put me to sleep, not to kill me. With that last thought, I tumbled onto my side, eyelids drifting shut, until I saw no more.

_"Amaterasu," I greeted, as the goddess loped down the steps of the temple. _

_"Shinryu," she replied. "You've returned, and so soon. Have you given thought to my words, perhaps?"_

_"I..." I paused. The truth was, I had. Not that I wanted to let her know she'd gotten to me just yet. "Can we talk?"_

_She nodded. "I suspected as much." She motioned with her snout. "Walk with me, and you may find the answers you seek."_

_"Very well." I fell into step beside the goddess. It was strangely calming — for the first time in a long time, I was at peace. Since I'd begun hunting the sun goddess in her realm, my need for battle, for bloodshed, had diminished almost entirely. We hadn't fought for days, opting instead to engage in conversations much like the one that we were about to have. _

_"Does it ever get tiring, knowing everything?" I asked. Two amber pools caught my eyes, amusement dancing in them. _

_"I do not know everything, Shinryu, nor would I want to. I can only infer and guide those lost onto the right path." She sighed. "But I can only do so if those lost souls want to be helped."_

_Amaterasu paused and turned to me. "Why are you here, Shinryu?"_

_I blinked. "To ask you a question."_

_She shook her head. "No. Why were you sent here?"_

_"To kill you. You know this as well as I do," I answered, wondering why she'd even bothered to ask such a pointless question._

_"And do you think this task is right, that your purpose in slaying me is just?"_

_And there it was. The very question that had sent me down this path of self-questioning and brought me back to the Celestial Plain. Was the task set to me by Verel a just cause? For the longest time, I had taken Verel's word as law, believing that his was the true way, that everyone else was misguided in their benevolence. Humans were weak, petty, foolish. The beings of the Celestial Plain were even more so. I'd scorned them all, killing them without hesitation. After all, the strong survived while the weak perished. That was the way the world — my world — had worked. _

_Until Amaterasu had taken me to watch the very people I'd killed time and again. No matter the horrors they'd seen, the damage I'd wrought upon their lives, these people endured, living their lives in the way they were meant to. Where they found the strength to do so, I could not fathom, but it was a lesson that had both shamed and shaken me to my very core: raw power was not the only type of strength out there. The time I'd spent with Amaterasu, observing people and conversing with her, had shed light onto the darkest shadows of my convictions. What if I had been wrong all along? Was I the one misguided?_

_I took a deep breath. "I... I don't know."_

_She nodded in understanding. "You do not have to admit it here and now... but at the very least, admit it to yourself." When I didn't reply, the goddess began to walk away._

_"Wait!" _

_Amaterasu turned. "Yes?"_

_"... I..." I grit my teeth as I choked out the words. "Perhaps... I have been wrong in my actions. I do not know for sure, but..." I sighed. "I want your help, Amaterasu. I need to know if I have been wrong all along, and if I have been... how I can change." _

_She smiled. "All you needed to do was ask, Shinryu."_

_A weight I hadn't known I had vanished from my stomach. "Then I have one favor to ask of you, for now..."_

—

_"You've been gone for days, Shinryu. Where have you _been_?" demanded Ninetails as I slunk in through the grand door to her throne room. For whatever reason, Verel had gifted Ninetails with her own private island, a fortress and safe haven in the never ending war against those who wielded the light. She'd wasted no time in naming it Oni Island, after the demons that the people of Nippon cowered in fear from. _

_"Out."_

_Ninetails strode over to me, her tails twitching as she spoke. "Don't you give me that answer, if you can even call it that! You were with that goddess again, weren't you?"_

_"You make it sound as if we're an item." And I was starting to wonder if that was the case._

_"Aren't you?" she challenged as the blade on her back crackled to life, the blood red walls glowing with its power. "You go out for days, weeks even, and you return without a scratch on you. You're distant when you're here, and you avoid answering any questions related to _her._"_

"_Are you… jealous?" I snorted. "Unbelievable. I knew you were petty, but jealousy doesn't become you, Ninetails." _

"_I am not _jealous!" _Ninetails growled. "And you're dodging the question. Am I not enough, for you, Shinryu? Must you consort with someone like _her?"

_I stared at her. _She's actually jealous, isn't she? _Of all the reactions I'd expected from her, jealousy hadn't been one of them. I blinked and bared my teeth. It's what the old me would have done, after all._

_"Really?" I snarled, forcing anger that I didn't feel into my voice. "I did _not _come and see you to be accused of treason! You know as well as I do that would never happen!"_

_"Do I? I'm beginning to wonder..."_

_Before she could say any more, my scythe was at her throat. "Enough," I growled, and turned to one side, exposing the large gash on my flank. "If she and I were friends, I doubt she would have given me this parting gift." Of course, she never would have, unless I had asked her to. _Perhaps asking her for a cover story had been a wise move after all.

_As her eyes wandered to the gash, the suspicion in them vanished, replaced by concern. "Shinryu, I -"_

_"Save your words, Ninetails. I don't want them." I melted into the shadows as Ninetails took a cautious step toward me. "I've heard more than enough from you today." _

_"Wait," she called, but I was already gone, navigating the halls of the island with a swiftness I hadn't known I possessed. _

I let out a whimper as my eyes opened. The pungent smell of burnt wood filled my nostrils as my eyes struggled to make sense of the blurry, mangled mess before me. When the scene finally came into focus, I recoiled in shock. The area around me had been burnt beyond recognition. What remained of the once proud trees of Agata were mere stumps, and ashes drifted in the breeze. The earth itself was scorched, black burn marks covering several parts of the ground. My heart skipped a beat as I caught sight of the numerous charred corpses of animals beside the stumps.

_Amaterasu? Amaterasu, where are you?! _The last thing I remembered was knocking her into the water. I scrambled to my feet and scanned the remains of the forest for any sign of her. A trail of ash, littered with rosary beads, led away from the water and toward Taka Pass. A lump formed in my throat as I spotted the shattered remains of Divine Retribution. _She's okay. _I swallowed and continued onward. _She has to be._

Were it not for the frenzied, flashing colors of Issun's aura, I might have sprinted by him, so intent on following the trail of ashes that I could barely concentrate on anything else.

"Over here, Shin!"

I bounded over and skidded to a halt at the sight before me. Amaterasu's fur was splattered with crimson, a sickening pool of it collecting beneath her. Snarling Beast was cracked in two, and the markings that announced her divinity seemed to flicker in and out of existence with every second.

_Amaterasu? _I nudged her with my nose, taking care to avoid all the wounds I could see. _Say something, please!_

"It's not looking so good, furball," said Issun. "Ammy's awake, but she hasn't gotten up…"

_**I will be fine, given time, **_said Amaterasu. I suppressed the urge to sit by her. Even her telepathic voice was weak.

_What happened after I passed out? _

_**Ninetails and I fought. **_There was a faint sense of amusement and… jealousy? _**It seems you have a jealous ex-lover bent on killing you.**_

_As if I needed one of those, _I muttered. I didn't miss the way her legs were trembling. _I appreciate trying to add humor to the situation, but that's my area of expertise. Relax and rest, Amaterasu. I'll stand guard for now. _

But Amaterasu shook her head. _**You must go now, Shinryu. Something… something is amiss in Ryoshima Coast. I do not know what has happened, but it has cast a dark shadow over the coast…**_

_I won't leave you here defenseless, _I insisted. _We may have cleared out the Tsuta Ruins but there are still demons lurking about here!_

In response, Amaterasu's markings flared to life, shimmering in the ash-induced darkness. They flickered once, then remained constant as the goddess pushed herself into a sitting position. _**I will be **_**fine. **_**Now go, before Ninetails can do more damage than she already has. I will join you when I can. **_

_I… _I swallowed the protest in my throat as she gave a firm glare. As much as I hated to admit it, she had a point. I was being selfish. Even without her weapons, she was more than a match for the lesser demons that still patrolled the area with the Celestial Brush. And maybe, just maybe, the explosion of foxfire had eliminated most of them for the time being. _As you wish. _I took a few steps forward, then looked back at her. _Stay safe, Amaterasu. I don't think this world can survive losing you again. _

Before she could answer, I loped off, following the trail of ash and destruction that the she-fox had left behind. The earth beneath my paws seemed to shudder in pain at the burns Ninetails had inflicted on it. Nothing would grow here for years, perhaps even decades. I frowned. Of course, that was only if the effects of Ninetails' foxfire mimicked normal flames. But everywhere I looked, purple embers smoldered, lighting up the path with an unnatural, eerie glow. _Agata will never be the same, will it? _I mused aloud. The beauty of this once-pristine forest had been marred forever. Even if we defeated Ninetails and the forest managed to grow once more with or without the help of divine power, the memory of her brutal razing would never fully go away from the minds of the people. _Ninetails, Crimson Helm, Verel, myself… we have all left indelible marks on Nippon, and not in a good way. _

I sprinted down the flame-scorched road, trying to ignore the carcasses of those unfortunate enough to be caught in Ninetails' path. Even the demons that normally rejoiced in chaos did not venture near the devastation, giving the road a wide berth.

_What does it say about Ninetails if even her fellow demons fear to tread behind her? And what does it say about me, that I am chasing after her? _I shook my head. This was exactly the type of mental game that Ninetails had loved to play on her enemies. A little subterfuge here, some stress there, and even the fiercest of warriors had been undone by her wiles. Deception and raw power were her strengths, and she was employing them to their fullest now. Wounding Amaterasu, destroying the nature that I had come to care for, the seemingly senseless destruction in Nippon — all ploys to distract me, should I somehow reach her. And if I was distracted, both her blade and the lightning she wielded would take care of the rest. All thoughts of Ninetails vanished as I skidded to a halt, unwilling to believe the sight that lay before my eyes.

Ryoshima Coast was gone.

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**A/N: I still enjoy cliffhangers, don't you?**


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